The last couple years have been dominated by one unprecedented event after another — but given the number of rare and tumultuous planetary transits that took place in 2020 and 2021, it’s not too surprising. Thankfully, 2022’s standout astro moments feel a little bit brighter and more hopeful, and the major 2022 astrology predictions feel more optimistic than they have in years past. It’s not all rainbows and sunshine, but there are some powerful awakenings and shifts taking place that all zodiac signs can look forward to.
Looking over the astrology of 2020 and 2021 is dizzying, but it helps us to make sense of what’s to come in 2022. Many astrologers warned that 2020 could be a tumultuous year, as it was jam-packed with significant planetary alignments — including a rare Saturn/Pluto conjunction in Capricorn that happened at the beginning of the pandemic, as well as the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which heralded in a period of collective change and unconventional thinking that’s sometimes referred to as the Age of Aquarius. The astrology of 2021 was marked by a series of authority-challenging Saturn/Uranus squares, which only occur every 20 years. In short, 2020 brought loads of upheaval, while 2021 asked us to find stability in a new world. But in 2022, we can look forward to enlightenment, glow-ups, and some serious rebirths, thanks to some exciting Jupiter alignments, the Nodes of Fate, and even a few helpful retrogrades.
The planets certainly have some struggles and surprises in store for us over the coming year. But when it comes to the astrology of 2022 vs. 2020 or 2021, we have reasons to feel a little more optimistic. Here are some of the overarching themes coming up in 2022.
A Powerful Year For Manifesting Your Dreams
Jupiter is the planet that rules abundance, growth, and manifestation — and in 2022, it’s taking us on a super special journey that’s full of enlightenment and magical new beginnings. We kick things off with Jupiter in transcendent water sign Pisces until May 10 (and again from Oct. 28 to Dec. 20). This ethereal transit has the power to deepen our emotions, heighten our creativity, and bring forth exciting spiritual awakenings. Jupiter’s expansive powers are even more potent in Pisces, as it’s one of the signs this planet rules in traditional astrology.
If you’re hoping for flashes of inspiration or sudden spiritual revelations, keep your third eye open around Feb. 17, which is when Jupiter sextiles wild child planet Uranus for the first time in 10 years. And expect the dreamy vibes of this transit to come to an ethereal peak around April 12, when Jupiter aligns with Pisces’ modern-day ruler, Neptune, for a powerful union in their home sign that hasn’t occurred in 150 years. This is a gorgeous one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fully embrace your spiritual side or lean into your artistic instincts, so take advantage of this mystical renaissance.
From May 10 to Oct. 28, Jupiter will dip into Aries — the first sign of the zodiac — which symbolizes a powerful new beginnings. With Jupiter’s growth-oriented energy being filtered through Aries’ bold and headstrong zodiacal lens, it brings an auspicious opportunity to think big, start new endeavors, and take a leap of faith.
Following Unexpected Destinies
The North and South Nodes — also known as the Nodes of Fate — are ingressing into a new set of zodiac signs for the first time since 2020, as they move into Taurus and Scorpio, respectively, on Jan. 18. This shift marks a new set of eclipses on the Taurus/Scorpio axis that’ll dominate 2022, bringing revelations and sudden changes in relation to the things we value.
In astrology, the Nodes of Fate are related to our destiny, life mission, and true calling — so whenever the nodes are activated, we’re asked to focus on where we’re headed and what we need to leave behind. This year, our path might twist in some totally unexpected ways, as the North Node will align with unpredictable planet Uranus on July 26, which only happens about every 15 years. This conjunction could bring flashes of insight about our futures or sudden bursts of inspiration that could sail us in a fresh direction. Depending on how this alignment interacts with your birth chart, this could mean a summer of serious and exciting changes.
The Energy Of Rebirth Is Abound
Pluto is the planet of transformation, and in 2022, it’ll offer us some significant opportunities — both personally and collectively — to grow and rise from the ashes. Love planet Venus will spend the first few months of 2022 in Capricorn, where it’ll be closely aligning with mysterious Pluto for a much longer period than usual, thanks to its retrograde ending on Jan. 29. Venus is a personal planet that rules our values, relationships, and self-worth, so when it’s connecting with Pluto throughout January — and again on March 3, when the planets’ only 2022 conjunction perfects — we’ll be able to dig beneath the surface of our desires to figure out what has lasting power and what we have to rebuild entirely.
Pluto will also wield its change-making energy on a societal level, as the United States is experiencing its first-ever Pluto return on Feb. 22. It takes Pluto approximately 225 years to make a full rotation through the zodiac, so during this rare alignment, we can expect to see a rebirth when it comes to authority, power dynamics, and foundational structures in this country. Pluto’s extremes can feel intense, but they’re always transformative.
A Chance To Glow-Up Your Relationships
Romance planet Venus and passion planet Mars — sometimes called the relationship planets — are bringing us several auspicious opportunities to glow up and start anew in 2022 when it comes to matters of love and sex. All zodiac signs will have a chance to hit the “reset” button on their love lives on Feb. 16 and Mar. 5, which is when Venus and Mars will form a powerful conjunction aspect. Sometimes it takes up to two years for these cosmic lovers to catch up to each other in the zodiac, but in 2022, we have two chances to capitalize on the fresh-start energy of this alignment.
2022 is chock-full of planetary backspins, but two of the most poignant involve lover Venus and sexy Mars, which means our love lives are getting a glow-up. We’re kicking off the year with Venus retrograde through Jan. 29, which asks us to reassess our relationship values and commitments. And we’re ending 2022 with a Mars retrograde, which begins on Oct. 30 and lasts through the end of the year, and gives us a chance to reflect on what really lights our fire and gets our passionate sides revved up. Retrogrades get a not-so-great reputation in the astrology world, but they actually bring empowering opportunities to review, reassess, and revise the paths that we’re on. By the end of 2022, thanks to these retrogrades, we’ll all be feeling much clearer on what we want out of love.
