For dynamic, mysterious, and intuitive Scorpio: Here’s what you can expect to enjoy, work through, and receive throughout the month of January.

The Zodiac enters the new year under several planetary retrogrades, the most notable being Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus. These regressive periods can get a bad reputation for the challenges they often create. But retrogrades are also a fantastic time to learn more about yourself. Kickstart personal evolutions. Become wiser for your hardship. The most tangible retrograde of these three is Mars due to its physical proximity to our celestial home. Mars retrograde tends to zap motivation and decrease energy, creating project delays and stalls that are not dissimilar to Mercury retrograde.

Videos by VICE

Your ruling planet, Pluto, begins the month in a direct opposition to this retrograde planet, locking fully into place on January 3. Celestial standoffs like these can be the most conflict-ridden alignment, calling us to find a balance between two contrasting forces. In this case, Pluto’s dominance over personal transformation and connection to the shadow self seems to challenge Mars’ inclination to decelerate, shut down, and delay. Don’t be so quick to write off these kinds of mishaps as cosmic punishments, Scorpio. From what worse fate could these delays be saving you? There is a silver lining here if you’re willing to look for it.

You are acutely aware of power flow and interpersonal dynamics. Consequently, it can be especially frustrating for you to lose your sense of intuition and foresight. Jupiter and Uranus retrograde are likely to rear their heads during these times of uncertainty and opacity. The former retrograde planet encourages the adoption of new perspectives and beliefs. When direct, Jupiter helps push us toward expansion and prosperity. When retrograde, this faraway planet encourages the same type of fortune-seeking within ourselves. In the long run, this can prove to be even more rewarding than the outward alternative.

Meanwhile, Uranus retrograde adds a bit of chaotic flavor to the mix. Its presence encourages us to push against the status quo and find innovative ways to navigate the path before us. Uranus can be a bit of a trickster. This planet can catalyze shake-ups or detours you weren’t expecting and, consequently, were unprepared to handle. The only way to guarantee you can conquer these challenges once and for all is to face them head-on, Scorpio. Burying your head in the sand and pretending that there’s no problem isn’t doing anyone any favors—certainly not your future self. Capitalize on the opportunity to learn while it’s in front of you.

Tensions ebb and flow around January 8 to 10. Around this time, your relatively static ruling planet forms a challenging square with the waxing gibbous Moon followed closely by a far more harmonious trine. The waxing gibbous lunar phase encourages us to assess our progress and determine whether we should adjust before proceeding. The fact that the square, the negative alignment, arrives before the trine, the more positive connection, is notable. This suggests a greater willingness to move past this situation’s temporary discomfort and pursue the greater good. Indeed, the greater good doesn’t always appear how might have liked. That doesn’t make it any less worthy of our time and energy, stargazer.

The full Moon reaches its most potent phase in its native celestial domain, Cancer, on January 13. The combination of an already powerful Moon in its ruling Zodiac sign increases the effects of this lunar period, strengthening emotional clarity and heightening sensitivity. One day later, on January 14, the Moon forms a direct opposition to your ruling planet. This opposition signals toward a major transition, one that may or may not feel positive at the onset. The stars urge you to keep pushing forward anyway.

As the Sun begins its crossover from Capricorn to Aquarius on January 19, the latter sign’s celestial season begins to settle in, expanding creative energy and defiance of trends and traditions. Aquarius season is a time for exploring, experimenting, and forging new paths. This celestial period will prove especially useful following the previous days’ opposition between the full Moon and Pluto. The metamorphosis you’re currently embarking on will require some out-of-the-box thinking, Scorpio.

The stars shine a helpful light on the path before you on January 21 as the Sun conjoins with your ruling planet under Aquarius. A corresponding square between Pluto and the last-quarter Moon suggests this cosmic nudge will be in a direction you weren’t expecting. Remember the energy of this celestial season, stargazer. You’re supposed to be following the butterflies in your stomach. If you knew everything that was coming your way already, then what would be the point of going down the path at all? Learning is the point. Go with the flow as best you can, and make sure you’re paying attention internally and externally.

The end of the month ushers in a cosmic traffic jam under Aquarius as Pluto conjoins with a nearly dark Moon and Mercury all at once. The new Moon is the most reflective and restorative lunar phase. It invites us to take a breather, gather our thoughts, and plan for what’s to come. It’s not a time of great action or tangible progress. But the efforts you make during this downtime directly affect how easily you can transition into a lunar phase that does feel more progressive and action-oriented. Mercury’s presence in this celestial mix adds another layer of intellectual and communicative know-how, making it that much easier to get your ducks in a row and figure out how to get from point A to point B efficiently.

Another important element of a new Moon phase is release and closure. You can’t expect to reach new heights of personal evolution if you’re constantly weighing yourself down with burdens, fears, and grudges from your past. As Uranus returns direct on January 30, the cosmos calls you to push back against the expectations you’ve placed on yourself and others. Just because you used to do something one way doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what you should do moving forward, Scorpio. It’s time for something new.

Thus concludes your monthly highlights. For more specific celestial analyses, make sure to read your daily and weekly horoscope as well. Good luck, Scorpio! See you next month.