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If it feels like you’ve been ignoring a little voice in the back of your head that’s telling you something isn’t quite right or that something needs to change, then a reality check, a wake-up call, or a moment of clarity might be coming your way.
Reality checks can be shocking in the moment, as realizations wash over you or as things fall apart, but they can also be a much-needed catalyst for a fresh start in life. According to Danny Santos, an astrologer and spiritual healer behind Santos & The Crystal Visions, reality checks can come in many forms, too, and it all depends on what planetary movements are happening in your birth chart.
“In astrology, there are many planets and transits that point toward profound clarity or a serious reality check,” he tells Bustle. Usually, it’s the outer planets like Saturn and Pluto, but it can also stem from the asteroid Chiron or the north node, as well as an eclipse cycle. These are the biggest players in terms of major life transitions.
Saturn, for instance, represents karma. When it transits through your sign, it can push you into a period of growth by shining a light on the things you’ve been neglecting. As an example, Santos says you might get fired from your job, but once you learn a few lessons, it could open the door to an even better one.
Pluto also brings with it a sense of transformation, change, and rebirth — and that’s the perfect recipe for a wake-up call. “Pluto’s territory focuses on what needs to be eliminated and will most often involve the shedding of excess baggage, trauma, and energy that no longer serves,” he says. As long as you embrace the change, you could come out the other side feeling brand new.
Below, the three zodiac signs who will have the biggest reality checks soon.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
“If there was ever a period in an Aries’ life to experience a completely new lease on their life, now would be the time,” says Santos. That’s because the fateful north node transitioned through the sign of Aries, along with healing Chiron and the solar eclipse on April 8.
Chiron — a small celestial body also called the “wounded healer” — is said to bring up pain from the past when it transitions through your chart, but it can also help you move on as it teaches you a lessons and triggers major realizations.
According to Santos, this might inspire a dramatic change in your lifestyle, a leap of faith towards new goals, or the ability to embrace your true identity. If you’ve been hiding or repressing something, these transits could inspire you to be your truest, most authentic self.
The recent solar eclipse in Aries has also kicked things in motion. “Eclipses are times in astrology where the collective astrological page turns and we find ourselves at the activation of a new chapter,” he says. “Not only on the days building up to and after the eclipse do we feel these changes, but eclipse cycles can have important lasting effects for six to 18 months, depending on which eclipse it is.”
April’s solar eclipse cycle activated a 20 year period of enlightenment for Aries, so according to Santos, you can rest assured that you’ll soon have a new lease on life. That said, “the antidote is in the poison,” he says. The only way out is through, so things might feel bumpy before they get better.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)
Forget Mercury retrograde. Transformational Pluto is about to retrograde in the sign of Aquarius on May 2, and according to Santos, it will then regress back into Capricorn from September 1 to November 19. In the world of astrology, this is kind of a big deal.
“This retrograde will be the bookend of Pluto’s descent through Capricorn’s chambers since 2008 and complete the cycle of transformation of the lives and placements of Capricorns everywhere over the last 15 years,” he says.
Since you’re an earth sign who prides themselves on hard work and resilience, Pluto’s transit has been making you second guess yourself and your abilities. If you’ve been in a rut of self doubt, your reality check will feel like a brand new burst of confidence, as well as a desire to pick yourself up and move on.
As Santos says, “Pluto’s retrograde back into this sign will remove the last of Capricorn’s worries by forcing [them] through the final initiation of this transit.” The rest of the year will seem extra magical and enlightening, especially once Pluto ingresses back into Aquarius on November 19th.
Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20)
“While all mutable signs will feel a particular shift in life direction during the coming months, none will embrace the energy of karmic shifts and progress quite like Pisces,” says Santos.
As Saturn moves through the sign of the fish, you’ll feel the urge to course correct, take accountability for your actions, and maybe even pick up a new habit or two that’ll reap benefits in the long run.
To take advantage of the moment, Santos says it’s time to get serious about what you want in life, as these planetary transits are going to make it easier than ever to transform into who you want to be. Think about your daily routine, career, friendships, relationships, and anything else that might need to be spruced up.
Along with this Saturn transit, the eclipse on April 8 also showed Mars in conjunction with Saturn, and both were in the sign of Pisces. “As the eclipse took place in Aries — a sign ruled by Mars — Mars’ conjunction to Saturn in Pisces foreshadows a period of action, initiation, and movement,” he says.
Saturn represents structure, stability, and long-term goals, and Mars is traditionally associated with passion and progress. When you add it all together, “Pisces can expect an incredible transformation to occur between now and the upcoming eclipse cycle in September and October.”
Source:
Danny Santos, astrologer, spiritual healer
