According to the stars, 2022 be a period for creative renewal and new paths of inspiration despite political turmoil and continued threats of war and strife. Brigid Penrose, who has studied the astrology of world events for over 30 years, noted that 2022 will be an odd combination of “anger and joy.”
“Every 84 years Uranus goes into Taurus, and everything we think we know gets turned on its head,” she explained. “Uranus moved into Taurus in late 2019, and all those institutions and things we were certain about, all those routines, everything just shut down or got reinvented. Taurus the Bull loves stability and routines, and when the planet of sudden change moves through it, expect resistance and denial followed by anger, and finally acceptance of new conditions. In the mid-1930s, the last time we saw this configuration, the economy was in shambles and everything we thought we knew went right out the window. Expect more protests, more ‘resistance’ to change, more disruptions as a new kind of normal evolves.” Uranus moves out of Taurus in 2026.
Penrose also sees a burst of creative energy coming out of 2022. “Jupiter, the planet of luck and big ideas, is in Pisces most of the year, and it will hook up with Neptune, the planet of dreams and inspiration. This happens from time to time, and seems to coincide with periods of great films, television, music, literature, arts . . . lots of 3D, animated movies, kind of out-there shows. Part of it is a reaction against the isolation of the past couple of years, and artists needing to collaborate in different ways and getting unexpected results. Sometimes, the best, most lasting pieces of art are born from difficulty and stress. I think people will begin to trickle back into theaters for live shows and concerts, as well as movies, because there is a craving for a shared experience you just can’t get from streaming something into your home. However, I don’t think people will return in big numbers ever again.”
The continued effect of Pluto in Capricorn, and the U.S. Pluto return in 2022 and lingering into 2024, forms the backdrop to Penrose’s predictions for the year. “This year, Pluto moves back to the exact degree it was in when the U.S. was ‘born,’ so to speak. This aspect only happens once every 248 years or so — humans can’t have Pluto returns because we don’t live that long. Countries and companies can have them. It tends to shake the nation to its foundations.” The exact dates for the return are February 20, July 11, and Dec. 28. “Around those dates, we’re likely to see revelations and scandals emerge,” she noted. “Issues about money, financial power, the abuse of authority are likely in June and July. I suspect cryptocurrency will be involved as well. Conditions around the mid-term election in November look very tense. It’s going to be a heck of a campaign season in 2022. I hope the candidates will wear hip boots, because the mudslinging is going to be heavy.”
Pluto will remain in Capricorn until 2024. “This is a lengthy period of examining, in depth, what the nature of power is in the world,” Penrose explained. “When Pluto moved into Capricorn in late 2008, America had just elected its first African-American President. Around the world, we saw in short order countries examining their political structures, asking the hard questions about power and who gets to be in charge. The Arab Spring blossomed in 2010, and governments were toppled in the Middle East as people freed themselves from dictatorships. In the U.S., we began to see a rise in protests on the left and right. There was a renewed interest in extremist groups and conspiracy theories which is peaking now, but is going to be with us for a while.”
Economically, the outlook for 2022 is a mixed bag, Penrose stated. “Inflation is a big problem, and demand for goods and services will remain high, which means getting inflation under control will be difficult. I also fully expect the supply chain to remain gummed up for much of the year. Jupiter and Neptune in spacey Pisces for the year could mean lots of dreamers are out there pitching big ideas — and lots of scammers and con artists preying on the vulnerable. The good news is that wages will also go up and job creation will remain robust. I see big gains for people in construction, trades like plumbing and electrical work, work in shipping and logistics, and manufacturing.”
“I expect new rules for tech companies to be proposed for 2022, and more scrutiny for the big players. Don’t be surprised if a giant tech enterprise breaks up due to anti-trust lawsuits,” Penrose stated. “Also, expect fewer coding and lower-level tech jobs to be created in the U.S.”
As for the COVID-19 pandemic, Penrose is not optimistic. “People are tired of the virus, I know. But the virus isn’t done with us. I expect well over a million deaths by the end of the year in the U.S., sad to say. There are indications that there will be a last wave this summer, much smaller, and then the virus will begin to wane. I don’t think it will ever completely go away, however. Also, we don’t really know what kind of physical damage has been done to COVID survivors, so expect studies of that, and long-haul COVID, in the coming year.”
