Aquarius Season

Exploring the unconventional, iconoclastic, oddball sign of Aquarius...

Last week, we entered Aquarius season, which runs every year from January 20 through February 18. This sign is traditionally symbolized by the water bearer, which is slightly confusing because it’s not a water sign. But that’s just the tip of the contrarian iceberg that is Aquarius!

Aquarius is a fixed air sign, which means it shares a stubborn streak with its Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio brethren, and the airy qualities of communication and cooperation shared by its elemental neighbors, Gemini and Libra.

Aquarian Keywords

In terms of keywords, the archetypal Aquarius is unorthodox, inventive, unconventional, iconoclastic, emotionally detached, eccentric, and fiercely independent. Whatever their political views, they tend to resist authority and conformity.

Unlike their equally unorthodox sextile co-conspirators, the Sagittarians, Aquarians are less likely to be hardcore activists on the protest circuit, fighting for change and gathering signatures. They’re more likely to simply ignore the rules they find inconvenient or morally abhorrent, keeping their odd proclivities to themselves and quietly influencing anyone who will listen.

Aquarians tend to lead by example, if only because they often find it supremely difficult (and a test to their patience) to lead others in more structured ways. This is not to say they don’t make good teachers, because they absolutely do.

But they are most likely to teach what they already love, and their all-consuming passion for the subject matter will be what makes them great instructors, far more than an inherent skill or passion for teaching.

Weird Science

Ruled by the oddball planet Uranus (and Saturn in traditional astrology), Aquarians are known as the quirky innovators of the zodiac. Whether they’re engaged in actual research or simply love observing science and nature and learning about things entirely outside their wheelhouse, they have the kind of brain that can easily wrap itself around complex, esoteric, abstract topics.

They will often bust these facts out at the dinner table, or in the middle of a conversation about something totally unrelated, leaving everyone around them thinking, wow, that was profound—but also, wait—what??

Statistically speaking, most Aquarians can’t actually be scientists, but they bring a scientific mindset to whatever task they set their minds to.

The Aquarian chef will delight in the chemistry of bringing novel flavors together as they craft their science experiments in the kitchen.

The Aquarian gardener will revel in seeing how different plant species interact in intriguing and unexpected ways, observing the biological marvel of root systems, photosynthesis and the mycelial network in real time.

Maybe they simply love uniting their “fuck the system” iconoclasm with their innate talent in the green house, growing their own herbs, fruits and vegetables and leaving those tasteless, monoculture crops on the grocery store shelves.

If you know anyone who has mastered the art of cloning their plants and gifting little pieces of them to friends and family, there’s a better than average chance they’re an Aquarian.

Friends and Family

And speaking of friends and family, Aquarius is one of the signs most likely to believe that we make our own family. They may be estranged from their family of origin, living in another country separated by an ocean, or simply separated by mindset and moral convictions, so they may as well be light years away from the people they grew up with.

No matter, the Aquarian is adept at collecting eclectic friends and making their own rules when it comes to social ties. They make exceptional hosts, and when they open their hearts and homes to you, they rival the best Cancerians at making you feel a part of their chosen family.

The Dark Side of Aquarius

Oh yes, of course, all signs have their dark side. No sign has mastered the silent treatment so thoroughly as Aquarius. Not even Scorpio can give as cold a shoulder as Aquarius when they set their mind to it, or rather, set their mind to thinking of anything other than you.

Living with an Aquarian can be frustrating if you prefer to, say, talk things through, or air out your grievances, or directly approach issues head on. Depending on your own sign, and of course, all the complexities of both charts involved, this can be a deal breaker or the beginning of a deep and abiding meeting of the minds, but make no mistake, compromises will be made on both sides.

You can’t simply head-butt your way into forcing them to emotionally open up, and attempting to bully them will only drive them further into their own head, shutting you out and creating a vicious circle of avoidance and neglect.

Your mileage may vary, but it may help to remind them that you are both in this together and you are also willing to compromise. Let them know you understand that not everything needs to be out in the open all the time (and make sure you actually believe it!). Focus on the big picture, fight over only the truly essential issues, and learn to let the little things slide for both of your sanities.

Shared Values

Compared to other signs, Aquarians can be surprisingly clannish. Not to the extent of the aforementioned Cancer, or Scorpio for that matter, but Aquarians are very slow to forgive, and they never forget a slight. Show them your loyalty, agree on common enemies, and show them that you will defend them with every fiber of your being should the need arise.

Aquarians love learning new things, so when it comes time to show them your appreciation, giving the gift of knowledge is usually a safe bet. That may take the form of visiting a museum or science exhibit, gifting them with books, online or in-person lessons, audiobooks or brain enhancing games.

Learn alongside them by taking a workshop or class together, or going on a walking tour. The family that nerds together, well, you get it.

Planets in Aquarius

Even if you’re not an Aquarius, and you don’t know any, chances are you have some Aquarius lurking in your chart. Take a look and see what planets you have in Aquarius, and if there aren’t any, you will have at least one house ruled by Aquarius. Assuming you have a trustworthy birth time, check your chart and see which house Aquarius is on the cusp of.

For me, it’s the fourth house, which is more than appropriate considering none other than my father is an Aquarius, and so is my stepfather. Apparently, my Sagittarian mother has a type! Her best friend is also an Aquarius.

My father is a brilliant musician and music teacher who excels at gardening and knitting, as well as playing at least a dozen instruments well. He loves being outside, whether its an endurance bike trip or simply shovelling snow every day, several months of the year. He is a dedicated husband, father, and cat daddy. He loves discovering new books, and he plays in not one but two classic rock bands that play actual gigs. He’s quietly, but fiercely, political.

My stepfather is a wonderful cook, carpenter, tinkerer, and plant whisperer. He is father to no less than five cats, all of them “rescues,” and he is obsessed with the History and Discovery channels. On one of their trips to Vancouver, we visited the Biodiversity Museum at UBC, which houses a complete skeleton of a blue whale. He remembered seeing a documentary about how they found and restored it, and as we walked around the suspended remains of the massive creature, he marvelled, “I never thought I’d see it in person.”

The fact that I have Aquarius in my fourth house also means I have an unconventional approach toward family and home life, which you can see evidence of in the fact that I have never owned a dining table, love having people over to play music and cook for me, but I myself am abysmal in the kitchen, and I can’t imagine living anywhere other than a bustling Metropolis where everything I need is within walking (or biking) distance or a short bus trip away.

Bottom line: the weirder you are, the more “at home” I’ll feel in your presence.

Aquarian Goddess

The goddess at the top of this page is Juturna, the Roman goddess of fresh water, health, and healing.

Originally a nymph, she was granted immortality and dominion over fresh water sources by Jupiter. She rules fountains, wells, and purification by water.

The Romans were famous for their innovation and mastery of waterways through their vast systems of aqueducts, so this is more than appropriate for an Aquarian goddess, combining health and community, the common good, science and technology.

Where is your Aquarius? Tell me in the comments!

Get out there and use this Aquarius season to learn something new, invite your inner weirdo out to play, build your community, and fight the power in any way you can (although, and I can’t stress this enough, be safe out there!).

Thanks for reading, everyone!