By stufflovely
Between a global pandemic and inspiring activism, 2020 has already had its share of life-changing moments — but the stars are just getting warmed up. On December 21, a rare alignment between Jupiter and Saturn, also known as a Great Conjunction, is set to shake things up politically, socially, and in your personal life as well. It only happens once every 20 years, so what happens now will have ripple effects for decades to come.
If that sounds intense, that’s because it is. Fortunately, it’s the kind of intensity you can use to make big, positive changes in your life. After a year of impossible challenges, this cosmic sync-up is reason to be cautiously optimistic about the future! How can you make the most of this energy? Ahead, we’ve got everything you need to know, including tips on how to make this your springboard for 2021 and a guide to what it means for your sign.
What is a Great Conjunction and how does it work?
In astrology, a conjunction is formed when two or more planets line up exactly. When they line up, their vibrations blend and work together. A Great Conjunction happens when Jupiter and Saturn align. Both planets are associated with authority, but each very differently.
Jupiter is a generous leader who’s associated with health, wealth, and having a good time, while Saturn favors strict responsibility and setting limits. When they have to collaborate, you can expect power struggles over the best way to “rule.” On the macro level, it’s likely to bring about a cultural moment when things change irrevocably, whether we’re ready or not. Politics shift toward the progressive and away from calcified ideas that have outlived their usefulness. It’s a changing of the guard, so to speak.
It’s no surprise then that Great Conjunctions tend to correspond roughly to American election years, which always signal change on both a national and a global scale. With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s recent victory and forthcoming inauguration as President and Vice President, we can already see how this planetary alignment is lining up with current events. Looking internationally, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from their royal status, we can only imagine what new changes the Great Conjunction might have in store for them.
What makes this Great Conjunction different?
This conjunction is special because it’s in Aquarius, the sign of social change, humanitarian efforts, and justice for all. We had a preview of Saturn in Aquarius this year when it traveled through the sign from March 21 and July 1, before retrograding back into Capricorn in the summer. During that period, a global outpouring of support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd opened people’s eyes both to the intransigent disparities that exist within our culture, and to our personal responsibility to help where we can, in whatever way we can, whether by protesting, donating money to Black-led organizations, or doing whatever we can to heal ourselves and our communities from a history of trauma. In the same way, the movement is poised to gain even more momentum under the Great Conjunction in Aquarius.
