We Asked an Astrologer: Will 2021 Be Better than 2020?

In April of 2020, we scratched our heads and wondered if astrologers saw this coming? “This” referring to, ya know, a global pandemic of a magnitude we could have never imagined in our convenient, Amazon-Primed 21st-century lives. So when we asked the question to PureWow’s astrologer, Jaime Wright, she told us that yes, the Saturn/Pluto conjunction was essentially signaling what she dubbed a cosmic reset button, “It's an aspect that happens every 35 to 40 years and usually coincides with upheaval on a global level. The last one was in 1981/1982, which lines up with the initial AIDS outbreak, and there was also one in 1917, at the time of the Spanish Flu.” Woof.

OK…so what’s in store for next year? Will 2021 be better than 2020? We went back to Wright for some answers.

“Yes!”

“Since late 2017, there has been a massive pileup of planets in Capricorn—the sign of systems and structures—which, TBH, has been causing a lot of our collective woes as we dismantle the old system to start another. At the end of December, both Saturn and Jupiter move into Aquarius, the sign of social engagement, collective action and humanitarianism. There's a conjunction of the two planets on December 21st, which is both a once-in-20-year cultural reset and a once-in-200-year epochal shift. This means we're switching from a 200-year period that has been about humanity taking advantage of—and quite literally using up the resources of—earth and moving into a 200-year air period where we'll see (even further) life-changing advances with technology and the internet. Saturn also makes a square with radical Uranus in Taurus for most of the year, which is a sign of collective action and major progress in social movements.”

“We got a preview of the vibe for 2021 from March through June of 2020 as Saturn briefly dipped into the first degrees of Aquarius before retrograding back into Capricorn on July 1. Yes, we all have Zoom fatigue, but the era of living a lot of our lives online is only just beginning—especially as we're able to return to more in-person events and gatherings, we're going to see people get more and more creative with the ways technology is used to share information. Things like award shows, concerts and even family holidays are all going to permanently include a streaming feature. There will also likely be continued protest movements and more collective efforts for social justice and environment reform. The Saturn/Uranus square brings a major revolutionary spirit that's very future-oriented. The energy is there to make big, lasting, major change. I also think there will be major developments in cryptocurrency and technological advances for food! Beyond Burgers are only the beginning of the plant-based revolution!”

“2020 ground us to a halt. And though it has been painful and difficult, it has also made it absolutely clear what does not work. In things as macro as the government and micro as our shopping habits. 2020 in many ways was the ‘final year’ of an old way of life and the beginning of the future. 2020 taught us all the ways that our structures and habits were totally unsustainable. 2020 was a global burnout and the way ahead is not to go back to ‘normal’ but to embrace the future. Change is good, and now that we've been through the worst of it, there's a lot to look forward to!” 

“A fun side note: the period I'm looking forward to most next year is mid-May through the end of July when Jupiter dips into Pisces (one of its home signs), which probably will have us all feeling the most optimistic we've been since pre-pandemic. I think this will be around the time that travel etc. finally opens up and we can gather in person without as much stress.”