Yearly Horoscope: Leo – 2020

Children of the Sun lately have been obsessing about work and health issues. And while you may feel like you haven’t made a great deal of progress in overcoming those challenges, sometimes just holding your ground leaves you farther ahead. Because as the year begins, there a lot of jockeying for position going on. The Sun is in earthy, direction-oriented Capricorn and shares an astrological house four other planets (including Saturn, which rules Capricorn), the asteroid Ceres and the South Node of the Moon.

What happens when a star that rules a fixed — dare we say stubborn — sign of Leo is in close quarters with a bunch of earthy movers and shakers? That’s when the Human Torch (Johnny Storm) says, “Flame on!” and shows everyone who is boss.

That’s right, the Sun is so massive and bright that even when it’s outnumbered 4-1, it can render all the nearby planets invisible if they are close to the Sun. This “combust” state doesn’t negate the planets, just weakens their effect. The Sun, while abiding by Saturn’s conservative, results-oriented ethic, is the brightest light in the house through Jan. 20.

This means, as a Child of the Sun, you still get to be you, ever life-affirming and in search of silver-linings, no matter how much the forces of materialism, capitalism, realism and nihilism try to snuff out your joy.

On Jan. 10, the Sun and Mercury — the planet of communication, transactions and short journeys — come together in a conjunction at 6:51 a.m. PST. During that time (and immediately before and after), Mercury is considered “cazimi” in the heart of the Sun (something that Jimmy Page, Annie Lennox and Carole King all share in their natal charts, by the way.)

While cazimi, the two planets compare notes: Mercury receives the Sun’s strength and vitality (and shall we say “showmanship”?) while the Sun is able to identify with Mercury’s intelligence.

So what are they talking about, you ask? The sixth house concerns your daily approach to work and your work habits. It relates to your employment as well as co-workers, employees and contractors who work with or for you (even household employees). It can also refer to volunteer service.

Because our daily habits so often affect the quality of our health, illness and disease show up in this house. The foods you eat and your fitness regime (or lack thereof) directly impact your health. Oh, and don’t forget those household pets who “serve” as your watchdogs and mousers; they are also members of the sixth.

These sixth-house matters may have been a source of concern lately. The seeds of worry, fear and doubt may have been planted as early as 2008 when Pluto first entered your solar sixth house. Over time, you may have noticed small things at work or with your health growing into overwhelming situations. And with Saturn’s arrival in Capricorn in December of 2017, you may feel like every day is a new challenge.

No sooner does the Sun and Mercury touch base on those matters on Jan. 10, then it’s time for the year’s first lunar eclipse starting at 11:21 a.m. PST, with the Sun opposite the Moon in Cancer in your solar 12^th house.

Eclipses are always a big deal for Children of the Sun as they involve your ruling planet. Lunar eclipses often create a blind spot that takes up to six months to sort out. They show where things are not on solid footing, so this one (and another on July 5 along with a solar eclipse on June 21) might dredge up deep emotions behind your tendency to be a “workaholic” right now, or if not that, perhaps a chronic health issue. You might be dealing with irrational fears that keep you clinging to a crummy job. For example: You need a job for the health benefits, but you need the health benefits because the stress of the job affects your health. There is a definite “serve or suffer” message here. But the key is to avoid working survival jobs and find ways to be taken seriously, whether in pay or recognition, or both. They matter more to you than you know.

On Jan. 12, Saturn and Pluto form a conjunction at 22 degrees Capricorn. Because of the rarity of this transit, all eyes are upon it, but the exact conjunction may not be as “earth-shattering” as many fear. Let’s face it, with Saturn and Pluto only a few degrees apart for much of 2019, we’ve already had a preview of coming attractions: governments in turmoil, political intrigue, environmental threats and capitalism run amuck. It isn’t pretty, but if anyone can take a sad song and make it better, it’s a Child of the Sun.

Because on Jan. 12, Pluto and Saturn do indeed, as The Beatles also sang, “come together” and guess what? The Sun is just one degree away from both at the time of conjunction, meaning both are “combust.” Invisible. Weakened. Don’t worry they’ll be back with a vengeance, but for the big moment, your ruling planet has a say in what’s going on. In other words, you can shed light and make a powerful difference in whatever is going on in the world of chaos around you.

Then comes Jan. 13, the “day after,” when the Sun conjoins, first, Saturn, then, Pluto, at 8:20 a.m. and 10:16 a.m. PST respectively. And for a brief span of n time, Saturn and Pluto also will be in the heart of the Sun.

Sorry to say that in cazimi, the Sun only strengthens Saturn and Pluto’s effect, so the day after the actual conjunction might be the one for you to watch out for. And keep in mind that after you understand what those planets are trying to bring about, you might see the wisdom of whatever it is they are doing. To put it in sixth house terms, where would we be without food inspectors testing our food sources, blood tests measuring our cholesterol and blood sugar levels, state licensing that determines if hairstylists should wield that pair of scissors against your scalp.

In the end, Saturn delivers blessings in disguise at every turn and that will be your takeaway as the Sun departs Capricorn on Jan. 21. (Pluto will remain in Capricorn until 2024 but its transformational effect should be more manageable going forward.)

While your day-to-day work life is undergoing a metamorphosis, there’s another type of earth energy affecting your professional stature in the world. For that, you can thank Uranus in Taurus, which will square the Sun on Jan. 23.

For the past two years, you’ve been getting hits about professional possibilities that lie outside your comfort zone. “I’m not qualified,” you may tell yourself. But Uranus, sitting at the top of your solar chart, is telling you to expect the unexpected as regards your career or status in the world.

Look at what is going on in your field. Has it been disrupted by technology? Are you keeping up with the changes? For a fixed sign such as yours, the word “change” is synonymous with high anxiety, but with Uranus, you either can make the changes or they will be made for you!

If you’re in a relationship, a professional change may not sit well with your partner, especially if your earning power is affected. If you are single, a new relationship might come your way — one that’s not exactly sunshine and butterflies but one more serious in nature.

Sorry! It’s Saturn again, moving into the early degrees of Aquarius from March 22 to July 1 in your solar house of partnership. In so doing, Saturn injects a dose of maturity into relationships. Maybe yours will be a May-December relationship, where one is older than the other. Maybe a partner will make heavy demands on you. If you’ve been betrothed for a spell with no date set, this might be an impetus to make your wedding vows. Commitment is a good word for what’s coming your way. Take it in — this will be the flavor of relationships until March of 2023.

After Saturn retrogrades (moves backwards) into Capricorn during the summer and fall, it will re-enter Aquarius with aplomb on Dec. 21 and meet up with Jupiter on the cusp on your solar 7^th house of partnership — another rare and powerful transit.

Saturn/Jupiter’s conjunction will impact all fixed signs but above all, Leo. Saturn as the unrelenting taskmaster and Jupiter as the bestower of good fortune and wisdom will join forces to usher in a new way of relating. (Hint: the idea that someone belongs to you is so 2019. And you’ll see it works both ways. You might be the worldly humanitarian while your partner serves as the wind beneath your wings. One of you might be Michelle Obama and the other her Leo Sun/Aquarian Moon husband who speaks to a world audience.)

There’s a lot going on in the heavens this year. And while most of the astrological tangos of 2020 take place in signs other than Leo, your ruling planet, the Sun, is intricately involved in all that is happening. How could it be otherwise? The Sun is the heart of the solar system. You’ll want to check back in 2020 to see what this new age of Aquarius holds for you.