Whether Astrology is science or magic, we’re open to most things, if they may be of benefit. ~ Ed.

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This is the time of the year when we are eager to look ahead.

With the new year rapidly approaching, it can be helpful and insightful to have a little extra perspective about what to expect in 2017.

A beginning of a new year almost always delivers new energy.

This is certainly the case as we look ahead to 2017. If we encounter new influences, it will be entirely up to us. This is where free will comes into play.

The planetary energies coming into the spotlight will be fueling us to step outside the norm. The ordinary just won’t do anymore. It’s time to take things in a brand new direction.

The more willing we are to let go, readjust our perspective and embrace something new—the better off we’ll be with what 2017 has in store.

Before I get to the future part, I want to take a moment to recognize just how far we’ve come.

We all need a pause to honor it.

2016 was a year of high emotion, reality adjustments and mass political upheaval. Dealing with these kinds of changes took courage, guts and gusto. Some of us were pushed beyond our limit into having to accept a totally new reality. It was rough and tough stuff. There are still many of us working through this.

The way things look now after these major 2016 influences, is vastly different than where we were a year ago.

Now the universe wants us to take the idea of change to an entirely new level.

The planetary terrain of 2017 is going to be much different than it was in 2016.

The universe is going to be emphasizing “action–type energy” and give us a bit of a breather from all the emotional and mind-bending upheaval. The more we gear up for something different, the better off we’ll be in embracing the “let’s do something” zone we’re moving into.

This is the stage where we are finally beginning to see our new reality clearly and are ready do something about it. We’re going to be enticed to either a) take action to change it or b) find new ways to deal with it.

The biggest change that will surface is the energy that lives within each of us. Our inner voice will be singing a much different tune in the coming months. It’s now calling us to make a break from the old way of doing things and shine a new light.

This year will give us the potential to officially let go of the old story and begin writing a brand new one.

The main difference between 2016 and 2017 is the desire to move forward versus looking backward. In 2016, we wanted to go back to the way things were—or the way we thought they were supposed to be. Now in 2017, many of us are going to be more than ready to leap ahead and go far beyond our “normal” boundaries.

In 2017, we want to write a different story and we’re eager for something beyond our ordinary. This is going to be a moment in time where we become ready to take the leap to get there.

Of course, some of us will have an easier time getting there than others.

We will need to make decisions and compromises. It’s always up to us to use the planetary energies in the best way we can and accept reality. Thankfully, the Libra energy that tries to promote working things out peacefully is shining strong. This will help us in our endeavors.

Despite these helpful factors, there is no way to avoid the experiences we need to go through in order to keep our story moving. We’ll still encounter some struggles, make decisions to push through challenges and find a way to maneuver through each and every high and low.

This part won’t change in 2017, but how we deal with our evolving story can.

If we used the energy of 2016 to take proper inventory and make the right adjustments, including letting things go of what no longer serves us, then we will fare well in 2017. If that work hasn’t yet been done, then the necessary changes in 2017 may take us by surprise.

A new foundation is in the process of being created and it’s up to us to plant our seeds wisely. The more stirred up we feel now to make a difference (personally as well as globally), the more influence we will make in the year ahead.

Some key astrological points taking place in 2017:

The major eclipses, or turning points, will take place in February and August. Those will be key months in saying goodbye to the old and embracing the new. Themes surrounding personal boundaries, our need to be our own person and the desire to put our stamp on the world will be in play. The inner rebel who lives in everyone will be ripe for the taking.

The Solar eclipse that takes place on August 21, in a special degree of Leo, will hold particular opportunity. It potentially contains a special blessing.

Leo, the sign who’s on a quest of discovering who he really is, will be prominent in 2017. In every endeavor, he says, “I will,” and goes after whatever it takes to fill his void. Just like his ruling Sun sign, he needs a place to shine. Many of us will feel the desire to shine.

Aquarius, Leo’s polar opposite, will also be highlighted in 2017. The Aquarian side of the story desires us to embrace and honor our uniqueness—no matter how weird it is. At the end of the day, we’re all individuals and special in our own way. The time has come to be loud and proud of it—no matter what the odds.

Mercury, the communications planet, will retrograde 4 times in 2017 which is normal for any given year. What’s a little different this time around, however, is that almost every Mercury retrograde will effect two very different signs. We’re going to see a need to integrate some practicality into our possibilities with both the fire and earth signs being emphasized.

Relationships will take a new turning point as well. Venus will go through her important retrograde cycle in March and April. The planet that rules over love, money and our values only goes through her retrograde dance about every two years. Each time she does, a huge surge in matters of the heart come to the surface. This important Venus cycle will be a telling point surrounding relationships of all kinds.

The influence of Aries and Pisces will be speaking the loudest and their influence will have a different effect on each of us. Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac whereas Pisces is the last. We’re going to see an inner desire and battle ensue in order to keep relationships young and fresh in addition to honoring true love. Some of us will be rather daring and try to tempt fate. Others will be drawn into the romanticism of falling in love and completely throw caution to the wind.

Fate and karma will certainly be around in a pronounced way. This is a year where many people will report finding the love of their life. Others may decide to completely walk away from old relationships in order to discover something totally new.

The lucky Jupiter will continue his travels through cooperation-minded Libra. Despite it all, his abundant factor will be pushing many of us to try to work things out peacefully. What’s right for you may not be what’s right for me and Libra can help us balance the yin and the yang out. In October, luck will turn in much deeper and darker waters when Jupiter enters Scorpio. Emotional transformation will be taken to a whole new level—in a good way. The water signs (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces) have the potential to reap the most rewards out this important shift.

On the opposite side of the planetary spectrum, humdrum Saturn will be moving through his last stretch of Sagittarius. His harsh but necessary influence will finalize all the lessons our archers of the Zodiac have had to endure. Sagittarian themes that have been most prominent under Saturn’s test involve people’s beliefs, foreign matters and the opening and closing of boundaries.

Anyone who’s been forced to stop running and ground down is likely being affected by Saturn.

Sagittarius wants to roam free and Saturn has restricted him from doing so. Virgo and Pisces, the other mutable signs, have also had to deal with Saturn’s changing influence. All of these signs will continue to go through adjustments. However, in 2017, Saturn is going to be feeling some support from the other planets, mainly Uranus. This is going to help ease the adjustment process and those signs who want to go after it. If we use Saturn’s influence properly we have the potential to become stronger than ever.

At the tail end of 2017, Saturn will move into a brand new skin. In late December 2017, he’ll enter the sign of Capricorn and really begin the process of radical change to the status quo. All of the new things that started to emerge throughout 2017 will evolve.

Everything always changes eventually. Change keeps order and the universe spinning. The year of 2017 is a time to embrace integrating some change into our lives. The universe knows we need it and eventually many of us will come to believe it too. It’s time for a new story to be written.

For all music lovers, like myself, I want to share a song that’s been on my “transitioning into 2017” playlist. It’s a perfect yet simple spin on the energies at play. The song’s main lyrics read ,“Tell me that the lights won’t change.” However, the reality of 2017 is that they will.

Flight Facilities—Claire de Lune featuring Christine Hoberg.

Aries: Get ready for a push outside your norm. Fate, karma and destiny are all going to be calling your name and pushing you to mix things up—in bigger ways than usual. Your voice is going to get stronger in 2017 with a powerful need to say what you want. Relationships are going to be an important piece of your 2017 puzzle—especially in the beginning of the year. This is a time where big decisions will be on the table.

Taurus: Things will certainly be busy for you in 2017, so don’t expect a year where you will just sit back. There is a lot of hustle and bustle in your work and home life that will likely keep you particularly occupied. Get ready for constant happenings. Your home and work life may require some balancing. There will be some important turning points in regard to your career and family.

Gemini: Another big year is ahead, but this one has a different ring to it. For a good part of it, there is going to be a lot more support available than in 2016. You are continuing to move mountains with Saturn, the planet of perseverance, pushing you to discover all of your capabilities. So it’s not 100 percent easy but there will be more opportunities presenting themselves. If you can focus and find new ways to maneuver through the changing terrain, you can expect to see further career-boosting developments.

Cancer: Get ready to make some big changes! A new push is starting to rise deep within to switch things up. The year ahead is one where you will be eager to get rid of the old and welcome something totally new. Additional career developments are in the making. The changes you make in the beginning of the year have the potential to deliver in abundant ways toward the end of the year.

Leo: Your sign is likely my favorite sign for 2017 because of all that I see ahead. There will be two eclipses in your sign that will deliver important endings and beginnings. New turning points are on the horizon and big decisions to make important changes. I believe you now have the potential to grab hold of success and achievement. If you have been working hard and trying your best to achieve a goal, then 2017 could be your year where the sky is the limit.

Virgo: It’s time to utilize all your new found confidence and take things up a notch. Big changes have come over you in the last year, so in 2017 you can really begin to use them to your advantage. The plan may still be changing and it’s not quite as clear to you as it once was, but now you are in a much stronger position to get what you want. A new cycle with an important relationship or business partnership could be in the works for you as well.

Libra: Good things are ahead and you’ll feel a larger than usual desire to make a change. First and foremost, enjoy the beneficial influence of Jupiter in your sign to the fullest. The luck of Jupiter only comes around like this every 12 years and it’s a time in your life where you should take advantage of the opportunities presenting themselves. This time around, the opportunities presenting themselves will have a new and unusual twist to them.

Scorpio: A big year is in the making and new twists and turns will be coming along for the ride. Lucky Jupiter will be entering your sign later in the year. That means it’s important for you to plant your seeds well in the first part of the year. In all actuality you’ve already been planting for a long while now. The first part of 2017 is about refining your plans and later you will harvest your crop.

Sagittarius: All your hard work and focus now have the potential to now pay off. The planets have put you to the test in bigger ways than you could have imagined in 2016. Now in 2017 there is opportunity to really see how all of your hard work can pay off. New developments on the home and family front are in the making. All the restructuring that you’ve been doing is going to prove quite useful in the coming year. You will notice this especially when a strong desire to mix things up and go after something entirely new comes into your view.

Capricorn: Get ready to make some big changes. A new push is going to make a difference and take things in a new direction. There is a growing energy building that wants you to mix things up in a new kind of way. While there is a large part of you who likes to follow the rules, you may decide to break them in the year ahead. The lights are shining bright on your place in the public eye.

Aquarius: The year ahead will be a big one for you and relationships will be key. This is your year to showcase all that you’re about—including all those things that make you a little different than the rest. There will be some goodbyes that need to happen in order to embrace something totally new. Sometimes going through these phase shifts is not easy at all. The beauty is, there will be a great deal of support given that the lucky Jupiter will be working for you—particularly through September. There will be important decisions to be made, especially around eclipse times.

Pisces: A fateful year is ahead. Destiny is in the making for you in 2017 and there is no stopping the twists and turns that are about to take place. The seeds that you begin to plant now will have the potential to pay off in great ways toward the end of the year. This is a “push your sleeves up” and “let’s get to business” kind of year. It’ll be important to focus and not let your emotions get in the way of all you need to do. When Jupiter moves into Scorpio, toward the end of the year, then you get a free pass to go into emotional overload in a good way.

For those looking for a little more into how the 2017 energies will personally play out, I have a little extra insight to share now (detailed forecasts can be found in my Horoscopes). If you know your rising sign, read for that one first in order to combine the themes and influences. Here is a free rising sign calculator if you don’t know yours. In my astrological opinion, the rising sign takes precedence over your Sun sign in reading horoscopes.

For deeper astrological insight, enter to win a full 90 minute personalized reading with me in the New Year by signing up for my Free Monthly Astro Newsletter. Everyone who signs up, gets a free Mercury retrograde 2017 Calendar to help plan for the tricky terrain of 2017. I will announce the lucky winner on my Facebook page on January 8, the day Mercury goes direct.

I look forward to telling you all about their personal astrology and year ahead.

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Relephant:

December Forecast: Letting Go of 2016 & Leaning into 2017 with Love.

Author: Crystal B.

Image: flickr/Peggy2012CREATIVELENZ

Editor: Ashleigh Hitchcock