Today is my Jupiter return. If you just read that senstence and thought to yourself okay, but what does that mean… good. You’re exactly who this newsletter is for and you’re in great company!

My Instagram inbox is generally full of astrology-related reels and memes from friends who know I’m quick to pull up their chart when life starts lifing for them. I’ll give them a quick rundown of an ingress, an upcoming conjunction or other transiting aspect like “Mercury’s retrograde in your second house” or “you’re just in a twelth house profection year” and the reply is usually something along the line of the same four words…but what does that mean? They aren’t being sarcastic, but they genuinely want to know what this otherworldly language I am speaking can convey about what is happening (or about to happen) in their lives. Context is everything, and I forget that they haven’t absorbed the countless volumes of books, essays, classes and lectures or the years to understand the vocabulary the way I have. Unfortunately, most of what is available to them to explain astrology is either too vague, too dense or not described accurately enough to land on the personal level they’re hoping for.

So that’s what Astroswoon was created for, the genuinely curious. And since to day is a big day for me personally as my Jupiter return (I’ll get to what that means shortly) I think it’s the best time to bring my background work into the light. Whenever I see a transit that sends those fun memes to my inbox, expect a note like this one, breaking it down in an easy language and hopefully bring some lighthearted fun along the way.

Jupiter takes about twelve years to orbit the sun and make it’s way back around to the exact degree it was sitting at where you were born. When it gets there, that’s your Jupiter return. Jupiter is known to be a planet of expansion, growth, wisdom, opportunity, and sometimes even luck. In my expereince Jupiter just likes “more of whatever this is” and can be flavored by other things happening in your chart at them same time, so while it’s generally considered a “positive” transit, I like to thing of it as a transit where things open up, create space, momentum, or a nudge to think in a new way than you did in the previous era.

Everyone gets a Jupiter return every twelve-ish years or so, and becasue Jupiter goes retrograde every year you may also get a second pass (hint:mines in April) or two where the Jupiter gifts really solidify. Each chart will land differently, based on how the stars are interacting.

The main theme is: Jupiter is coming home to reset and expand your world.

My natal Jupiter is retrograde and sits at almost 9 degrees in Leo. A Jupiter in Leo is “wearing the outfit” of how Leo expands… through self expression, creativity and being seen. It’s not a placement of a wallflower, growth comes with the confidence to take up space. But a retrograde natal planet tends to turn the quality inwards.

Depending on the house system I’m using, Jupiter falls in different houses. In Placidus it falls in my 10th house, ruling career, public life, reputation and what you’re known for. Switch to whole sign, and now it’s in the 11th house. This house rules communities, networks, friendships, hopes and dreams. I don’t think these are competing interpretations of how this is showing up for me because it seems I now have growth in both how I am seen professionally, as well as how I am growing through community and the people around me.

So, this is more or less what’s been happening. I’ve spent years doing free readings at the local Meetup and some friends, but going deeper in this practice mostly in private. This newsletter is the public, 10th house version of that work. Astroswoon has been quietly underway for a while. The fact that it’s now launching during the 11th house community flavored version of the transit feels like it’s truly meant to be. Jupiter doesn’t force anything new into existence, but is the crucible to expand what is quietly underway and in Leo it’s just fiery and proud in the best best of ways.

If you’ve read so far, then you’re probably astro-curious and want things explained without judgement or (much) jargon. If you’re zodiacally obsessed like me and want somewhere that speaks you’re language, you’re also welcome. That’s the whole point!

And if this has raised even more instances of but what does that mean, please send them my way. Happy to answer all your questions, learn and grow together.

Thanks for being here…more soon!

Maria