Calendar Page
Special Days and Aspects for January 2004
Welcome to 2004! Click on a date in the calendar to see the current aspects and events for that day.
January 1, 2004
Mars at 9 degrees Aries square retrograde Saturn in Cancer
This can be a discouraging influence, frustrating and irritating. But it doesn’t last long and
can be handled well by exercising caution in one’s activities. ’ “ ”—
New Year’s Day: On the Gregorian calendar, the year 2004 begins.
Mary, Mother of God: A Catholic day of holy obligation in honor of Jesus’ mother.
Kwanzaa: The weeklong African-American
cultural celebration wraps up today.
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January 2, 2004
Happy Birthday to Sammie! |
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January 3, 2004
Jupiter at 18 degrees Virgo goes retrograde
The retrograde of the great benefic, Jupiter, lasts until early May and dampens the overall
expression of optimism and expansion. Everybody knows “you can’t stop progress,” but with
Jupiter retrograde, the build-up to success is likely to be slow-paced and may be marked by
what seem to be unlucky setbacks.
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January 4, 2004
Tenth of Tevet: A solemn day in the Jewish calendar, the Tenth of Tevet
marks the day, about 2,500 years ago, when an 11-year Babylonian siege of Jerusalem began,
ending in the captivity of the Jewish people.
Epiphany observed: The traditional commemoration of the day the Magi
visited Jesus has been January 6 in the western church. However, some churches now celebrate
the day on the Sunday nearest the 6th.
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January 5, 2004
Mars at 11 degrees Aries sextile Neptune in Aquarius
Dreaminess and psychic insights make this a meditative time and encourage people to be
sensitive to others and contribute something to the general welfare.
Twelfth Night: The traditional 12 Days of Christmas ends on the eve of the
traditional date of Christian Epiphany celebrations.
Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday: Sikh holiday honoring a guru of the 15th and
16th centuries.
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January 6, 2004
Mercury at 26 degrees Sagittarius goes direct
Communication and transportation troubles that increased during Mercury’s apparent
retrograde motion begin to get back to normal as the planet straightens up and flies right.
Ephiphany: Christian celebration of Jesus Christ as a light to the world, as
symbolized by the visit of the Magi, celebrated on or about January 6.
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January 7, 2004
Moon Phase
Full Moon in Cancer, 15:40 Universal Time.
Venus at 20 degrees Aquarius sextile Pluto in Sagittarius
This aspect evokes deep feelings and a longing to belong, to feel like a vital member
of a community. Important experiences with others today could change lives.
Nativity of Christ: Orthodox churches of the east celebrate their Christmas
on this day.
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January 8, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 9, 2004
Sun at 18 degrees Capricorn trine retrograde Jupiter in Virgo
The beneficial, lucky and happy feeling of Sun trine Jupiter could be a bit muted by the no-nonsense
earthy signs the planets are transiting, but still this is a harmonious influence that should help
events proceed smoothly, with the feeling that all is well.
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January 10, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 11, 2004
Baptism of Jesus: The public ministry of Jesus began with his
immersion by St. John the Baptist, an event commemorated on this day in church services.
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January 12, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 13, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 14, 2004
Mercury enters Capricorn
The mental and communicative energies represented by Mercury get down to serious business
in Capricorn. This influence may not be the best for weaving lyrical poetry, but it does
favor a steadfast, pragmatic approach that can be very useful for figuring things out.
Venus enters Pisces
Exalted in Pisces, Venus drops her sometimes selfish and vain concerns in matters of love
and desire and promotes in us an ability to give of ourselves for those we love or for the
good of all. Subconscious issues in relationships could surface and create confusion,
but through patience and an open heart, these can be resolved.
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January 15, 2004
Moon Phase
Last-quarter Moon in Libra, 4:46 Universal Time.
Mercury at 0 degrees Capricorn sextile Venus in Pisces
Warm feelings of love and friendship and a realistic yet deep appreciation of beauty
characterize this sextile in these signs. Not a bad day at all to reach out and connect
with others.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday: The revered American civil rights leader
was born this day in 1929 in Atlanta — one of the three children of Martin Luther King Sr.,
pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Alberta (Williams) King, a former schoolteacher.
Makar Sankranti: Makar is the Vedic name for the
sign of Capricorn. Makar Sankranti marks the first day of the Sun’s northward
journey that will gradually increase the length of the days in the Northern
Hemisphere and set the countdown to summer. There are different traditions
observed in different parts of India on this day, the most common being flying
kites. The skies are full of colourful kites — and so are the treetops for days
afterwards. In the western state of Maharashtra people exchange a traditional
sweet called tilgul, a mixture of til (sesame seeds) and gul
(jaggery), and tell each other, “Tilgul ghya ani god god bola!” That’s
Marathi for “Eat Tilgul and speak sweetly.” Usually this takes place in a
special ceremony for married women called Halad Kunku where they smear a
bit of halad (turmeric powder) and kumkum (vermillion powder) on
each other’s foreheads and exchange gifts and tilguls.
Harvest Festivals: The day of Makar Sankranti also coincides
with harvest festivals around India, one of those being Pongal,
celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu, where special rice-and-lentil
porridges (called pongal) are traditionally cooked on woodstoves in open
courtyards as part of the festivities to give thanks for the rich harvest. In
Punjab, the harvest festival is Lohri, in West Bengal it is Pithe
Parbon or Paush Parbon, and in Uttar Pradesh it is Khichdi. In
Allahabad, one of India’s holiest cities, this day marks the beginning of a
month-long fair called Magh Mela on the banks of the holy rivers of
Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, said to be an invisible river
flowing beneath the waters of Ganga and Yamuna where they converge at Allahabad.
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January 16, 2004
Happy Birthday to Rainbow! |
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January 17, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 18, 2004
World Religion Day: Sponsored by the Baha’i faith, the day is dedicated
to the expression of unity and oneness among religions of the world.
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January 19, 2004
Happy Birthday to proxymoon!
Happy Birthday to Goobergalaxy! |
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day The third Monday in January is a federal
holiday in the United States, honoring the baptist minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner who played a major role in the
1950s and 1960s in leading black Americans’ successful demonstrations for new legal civil-rights protections. King was
assassinated in 1968.
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January 20, 2004
Mars at 21 degrees Aries trine Pluto in Sagittarius
The heavens create an influence here that supports us in making long-term plans for
action promoting beneficial change in the world. Consider long-term goals and take
action for what you want to see manifest in a broad sense.
Sun enters Aquarius
Happy birth-month, water bearers. In Aquarius, the Sun casts its high-energy spotlight
on freeing us up for some experimental thinking about how to make “All for one, and one
for all” a reality.
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January 21, 2004
Moon Phase
New Moon in Capricorn, 21:05 Universal Time.
Venus at 8 degrees Pisces trine retrograde Saturn in Cancer
An ability to see the people and things we love in a realistic and accepting manner
characterizes this aspect, making this a good time to discuss issues in relationships
and work out possible options for making them work even better.
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January 22, 2004
Mercury at 8 degrees Capricorn oppose retrograde Saturn in Cancer
This third “hit” of Mercury in opposition to Saturn, a configuration that occurred twice in December
as Mercury looped from direct to retrograde and then came direct again this month, offers
a chance to consolidate the lessons learned from the serious and introspective thinking
sparked by the first two hits. Under this influence, the mind seeks to define its sense
of home base, a solid touchstone to underlie further mental travels.
Chinese New Year: Timed to the second New Moon after the winter
solstice, Chinese New Year is a major holiday for Chinese cultures worldwide. This
year is the year of the Monkey. The New Year celebration, also known as the Spring
Festival, is a time for reconciliation and forgiveness, casting aside old grudges
and making new beginnings. People drape their doors in red cloth to ward off negative
energy and gather with their families to feast. Children are given red envelopes of
“lucky money.” Good deeds done at this time are said to be rewarded with blessings
from the Jade Emperor. In Chinese astrology, this Year of the Monkey is of the wood
element. People born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be clever and resourceful,
appearing as inventors, prophets and tricksters. Wood Monkeys are adept at constructing
what they need. Eleanor Roosevelt and Harry Truman were Wood Monkeys. Each combination
of Chinese zodiac animals and elements comes around only once every 60 years. Happy
New Year! Kung Hei Fat Choy!
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January 23, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 24, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 25, 2004
Iroquois Midwinter Festival: The Iroquois confederation of
Native American tribes of the eastern United States holds a nine-day festival
that is a time of purification and forgiveness. Offenses and grudges of the past
year are burned in tobacco offerings. The festivities include music, dance and
the sharing of prophetic dreams for the new year.
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January 26, 2004
Vasant Panchami: This Hindu festival honors the coming
spring, new beginnings, and nature. People wear yellow clothes to match the
mustard flowers that usher in the Vasant, meaning spring. There are feasts,
kite flying, and devotions in honor of Saraswati, the goddess of learning and
all knowledge. It is a day for wishing one another prosperity and for bestowing
the wealth of knowledge. It is customary to teach 5-year-old children the
alphabet on this day, as an auspicious beginning to their formal learning.
It is celebrated on the fifth day of the bright moon phase of the month of Magh.
Republic Day in India: On this day in the year 1950, the 2½-year-old
Indian democracy adopted its Constitution. This day is celebrated with parades
in different parts of the country, the most watched being the one in New Delhi
starting from India Gate and heading down towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan (the
official residence of the President of India). The ceremony begins with laying
of flowers at the memorial to the Unknown Soldier at India Gate, by the Prime
Minister of India, followed by a minute of silence observed in honour of all
the Indian soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty. This is followed
by a parade by the armed forces and a range of tableaux from different states
and dance items performed by local school children. The finale comes with the
much-anticipated flying acrobatics performed by fighter pilots of the Indian
Air Force. Thousands of Indians stay glued to their TV sets to watch this
parade, while many others aspire to watch it live!
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January 27, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 28, 2004
Have a great day!
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January 29, 2004
Moon Phase
First-quarter Moon in Taurus, 6:03 Universal Time.
Venus at 17 degrees Pisces oppose retrograde Jupiter in Virgo
The desire to playfully indulge and have a good time is likely to prevail
under this opposition. Count your blessings and consider how to expand them
further into the world.
Mercury at 17 degrees Capricorn trine retrograde Jupiter in Virgo
Sharp thinking, combined with optimism, makes this a fine day to consider plans for the future and
engage in business ventures.
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January 30, 2004
Happy Birthday to Nightshade! |
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Hajj: For Muslims all over the world, the days
from now until February 2 are the annual holy days for traveling to
Mecca. The solemn pilgrimage, which every Muslim must make once during
his or her life, commemorates the journey of the Prophet Muhammad, his family
and supporters from Mecca to Medina to establish a new faith based on the
revealed word of the Quran. The Hajj emphasizes the central Muslim tenets
of submission to divine will, brotherhood and unity.
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January 31, 2004
Mercury at 20 degrees Capricorn sextile Venus in Pisces
The month ends on a lighthearted note, revisiting an aspect formed on the 15th that
evokes warm feelings of love and friendship and a realistic yet deep appreciation of beauty.
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Astrology by Maria Barron
Holidays compiled by Maria Barron, Anindita Basu and Sucheta Shetty
Birthday graphics by Maria Barron for Metamorphosis
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