Ugh—another major outer planet conjunction? When does this all end? Someone help!
Well, that someone just so happens to be Jupiter and Neptune. Unlike the 2020 Saturn-Pluto conjunction or the 2021 Saturn-Uranus square, this is a conjunction many astrologers look forward to. Jolly Jupiter and nebulous Neptune bump fists in a once-in-every-13-years conjunction on April 8, 2022. Because Jupiter and Neptune are both associated with cultural matters, it’s safe to say a pop culture renaissance is underway.
Are you tired of the same artists and Netflix shows on repeat? Are you a film enthusiast ready for a supercharged year for Hollywood blockbusters? Thankfully, this current pop culture plateau is the drumroll for an out of this world year for the arts and media. Jupiter is associated with expansion, travel, media, publishing, and the greater truth. Neptune, nonetheless, is associated with the public imagination and the massive industries in the pop culture realm.
The last Jupiter-Neptune conjunction was in 2009 at 23° Aquarius. 2009-2010 were chart topping years for pop culture, media, and the arts. Now this conjunction is happening at 23° Pisces, who shares similar themes as Aquarius— except Pisces has a focus on nostalgia and spirituality while Aquarius is more geared towards futurism.
Neptune is at home in Pisces, which means it works most favorably in this position. Jupiter’s co-rulership is also in Pisces, so this is a double whammy for creative industries and creators who are needing a level up.
Pisces is the sign associated with the past, dreams, cosmology, and spirituality. Rather than repeating 2009, there will be a renewed compassion from the public at large when reflecting on both the memories and nightmares of this time. 2009, while revolutionary, was a cutthroat and abusive year for those in the limelight. Many celebrities from 2009 are still healing the wounds that the media and public inflicted on them. Same goes for marginalized groups and the painful history they’re currently reliving.
Meanwhile, the struggles of us average folks will be reflected in how we apply this newfound compassion to those around us. Corruption among governments, institutions, and corporations are eroding public trust as we speak, whereas people are looking to one another for a sense of security and understanding. Now that the world has broken down and many of us experienced some type of loss from the coronavirus pandemic, there is a collective change in heart that will be equally as revolutionary as the pop culture explosion of 2009.
Not only will this be reflected in the art and media we consume, this will eventually proliferate to workplace and political culture. The world at large is mourning over a plethora of events and are ultimately looking to heal. It won’t be all peaches and cream, but the cultural growth underway will show us, the people, just what we’re made of. The key word of this transit is not salvation but redemption.
So what areas of pop culture are getting major upgrades during this Jupiter-Neptune conjunction? Let’s take a look:
1. Music
Besides the media, the music industry is arguably upgrading the most during this Jupiter-Neptune conjunction. All genres will boom with new talent, but one genre in particular that we can expect to see the most growth from: hip hop.
The last Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in the sign of Pisces happened in 1856. Guess what happened around this time? The emergence of Blues music, which was notably the “birth” of American music. The Blues not only revolutionized music on a global scale, it’s the precursor to R&B and hip hop. Especially after 2020, a violent and politically treacherous year, from police brutality to the fight on how racial history is taught, a generation of inspired artists are rising to the occasion to keep the truth alive.
After all, hip hop is a genre made for social confrontation. We may see this some now, but it will be everywhere come 2022. Political diss mixtapes? We can probably expect those too.
2009-2010 were years full of firsts for rappers such as (but not limited to): Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, Drake, Kanye West, and Gucci Mane. Similar to how many hits in 2009 still don’t get old today, the music of 2022 will have a similar effect for years to come.
2. Media
Our typical view of the nosy and pesky paparazzi can be seen in the rearview. Feel free to disagree, but our media and journalists today are far more forgiving and compassionate than in 2009. We’re already having conversations on how the media treated celebrities in interviews back in the early 2010s, but a new generation of hosts and interviewers are taking a much kinder approach to how we publicly treat others.
2009 was also the year when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift at the VMAs, whereas the press joined in on the trolling and slut shaming rather than shedding light onto her achievements as an award winning artist.
As for 2009, the media will publicly reckon with how they treated stars back then and will actively play a role in the solution. We can expect social issues and real world experiences to garner more ratings than the shoe throwing drama of reality TV.
Which brings me to my next point…
3. #FreeBritney
Of course we should be mindful of how we discuss Britney Spears’s situation. I just think it’s important we discuss her, however, because she is the prime example of what I discussed in the previous section. Her situation will likely be the catalyst for much needed change both culturally and politically.
With that being said, it’s likely that Britney will emerge victorious—especially as she has benevolent and freedom-loving Jupiter, her ruling planet as a Sagittarius, crossing into her legal sector come 2022. Plus, if leaders from both political parties somehow agree that Britney should be free, that’s reassurance that even public opinion can and will sway the court’s opinion. Given that Neptune is involved, it’s no wonder why it will have significance to the individual lives of many.
Those who see themselves in the same shoes as Britney Spears or even other celebrities who were abused will be met with a sense of hope for their own situations.
4. Film And Television
For my film enthusiasts, you’ll finally get the show you deserve! As mentioned with music, new talent is on the rise and ready to impress. We can expect more movies centered on aliens, history, and dystopias, sure, but the representation side of everything will be most important here. More film producers from underrepresented backgrounds, nonetheless, are finally getting their time to shine by creating chart topping blockbusters.
Blockbuster movies of 2009 include: Avatar, Twilight, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Ice Age, and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. 2009 was also the year of Jersey Shore, Glee, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, among many other classic TV shows.
5. Indigenous Spirituality
Especially after uncovering the mass graves of children at church-ran residential schools on Indigenous lands across Canada and the U.S., there is growing public disdain for the Church. In turn, there is a growing popularity with Indigenous spirituality and magic.
Of course, this means we’re having more conversations on how we not only reconnect with one’s own ancestors, but also taking the initiative to repair what they did to the Indigenous people of this land. It’s perfectly okay for Natives to appropriate these practices, which will be an even bigger issue come 2022. This year will be a time of exploring one’s own ancestral magic and trauma, as many people are beginning a spiritual journey because they feel that organized religion failed them. Especially once the South Node is in Scorpio, don’t be surprised if there is a surge in DNA ancestry tests!
After all, Pisces is the sign associated with religion, escapism, history, and cultural appropriation.
6. Cults And Religious Zealots
The surge in New Age spirituality is bound to drive us over another fork in the road: the rise of cults and religious zealots. Now you can go “ughhhhh” because, yes, it’ll be a whole ass headache.
We’re already seeing this with the Trumpublican and Q-Anon cult of personality. The vulnerability and compassion people are overwhelmed with during this transit can unfortunately set many people up for exploitation. It won’t be as bad as the 1950s, per se, but this sense of spiritual community people crave means more spiritual narcissists emerging to “play God”, if you will.
Not to mention the pushback New Age spirituality will get from religious zealots who see this as a “culture war.” So while astrology will grow in popularity, so will its opponents who feel compelled to take it down.
Will they fail? Of course, because astrology predates religion and isn’t going anywhere. Quite frankly, its basic geometric and energetic principles are the foundation of most world religions. The good news is even many Christians will take a liking to astrology, especially after learning about its importance to their religion.
