Bookend Dark of the Moons
The days to Winter Solstice (Dec 21st) are when the solar light is diminishing. But in that dark, the light of the spirit shines bright. The Sun is in hopeful Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, the light bringer. In the madness of holiday rushing around, or longings, and loneliness…there can be magic.
The fire of Sagittarius(Sun) makes for lively get-togethers, travel and dreaming (about the future). This gives way to the active sounding out of Capricorn (Sun), when the “how” to the “what” is given deep consideration. Both signs are do-ers, so what’s in the incubation stage in December, has both momentum and substance.
December begins and ends in the suspended time of active dreaming – the dark of the Moon. There areNew Moons on December 2nd (Sagittarius) and January 1st (Capricorn). Both of these are sublime, to get in the groove that is most promising.
Mercury’s Earful
And in-between, there’s a Gemini Full Moon (Dec 17th), to awaken childlike curiosity and wonder. Gemini’s ruler Mercury is coming off months of soul-searching, and in December inspires us to be true to what we know. There’s mercurial heat and drama in December, but it can lead to breakthroughs – going beyond our own conditioned mindset, or clashing with one in another.
Mercury starts the month scrying for truth out of the depths, with Mercury aligned with Saturn (in Scorpio) on December 1st. We might want to keep what we know private, and let its understandings take hold.
Mercury goes into Sagittarius on Dec. 4th, and there’s freedom of expression -- what's really on your mind? What was heavy and secret, becomes freely shared, at times with a twisted, refreshing humor.
But when Mercury comes into a square to Neptune (Pisces) on Dec. 6th, we gain more from holding these “truths” lightly, as one dimension of a multi-dimensional story. The more we try to hold on to a set vision, the more it slips out of focus. There can be confusion, but it's also a medium for seeing a situation in a different (mystical-Neptunian) light. It's ideal for free association with the muse, your higher guidance and imagination. There's always more to a story than meets the eye!
The real action starts when Mercury goes into wise, contemplative and shrewd Capricorn on December 24th. That’s when the eyes perceive what’s timeless, and conversations take on a saturnian (weighty) tone.
Mercury is then in position to square its own higher octave, Uranus (Aries) – this is a chance to see the tensions within our own thoughts to do with all the extreme change going on. The 'little mind' (Mercury) has a dialogue with the big mind whose logic we may not understand (Uranus). The inspiration of the new, is a challenge to the attitudes that feel familiar -- the way things are. When does it seem right to shore up what’s tried and true, and when is it time for a radical break from the past?
The grand finale for Mercury is on December 31st – New Year’s Eve. Choose your companions carefully, as Mercury will square Mars (Libra), and arguments could get volatile. This Mars, though, is more apt to play fair, though there could be a call to stand on the courage of your convictions in some way. There’s also a seeing into situations deeply, with Mercury aligned with Pluto, though this could add to a sense that there’s much at stake (in an argument).
Walking Your Talk
Venus is a guide into the dark Winter months, in the seasonally in synch sign of Capricorn. And Venus (Capricorn) turns retrograde on Winter Solstice, when Capricorn’s kind of endurance in friendship and love are valued. There can be some solemn reflection on what matters most, and who has been really been there.
It’s also a boost for new love interests or friends, with a shared purpose. Or a time to set high standards, for what’s desired.
Speaking of Venus, Mars is in Libra (ruled by Venus) for most of the month. It can be a beautiful thing to take a stand, when inspired by events of the day. Mars (Libra) is the instinct for what’s just and right, and the action moves on an ideal.
These ideals – and the courage to act on them – can be put to the test in December. There’s a Mars opposition to Uranus (in forceful Aries) on Christmas Day, for sudden or shocking turns of events. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s destructive or negative, but it could be an experience where “everything changes.”
The 30th of December is one to avoid clashes, if possible, as Mars is square to Pluto – this is one of those aspects where people possibly get hurt. Arguments are volatile. And yet, it could mean there’s a dynamic – and necessary – confrontation with power, or abuse of power.
Looking for the silver lining, the raw vitality that's released with this aspect (Mars square Pluto) can be just what we need, to overcome inertia. These are cardinal energies (Libra-Capricorn), so at the depths of winter, look for ways to constructively channel the force. It's the pulse of initiating -- to take action to make an vision real, or to stabilize a situation that's unjust or off-balance in some fundamental way.
In a Nutshell
To sum up December's forecast, it's the portal to Wintertide, and the quiet, cozy inward reflection of the season. There are two future-visioning lunations, to align soul-searching with what we'd like to invest in, with the turn of the year.
Both Mercury (the translator) and Mars (motivation to act) are riled up in December, with tense angles to the bigger players rocking our world. It's a invitation to discover our personal stance and values, and to map out pathways -- as players in an epic story. The vision is shaped by the wisdom that's been gained these last months, when so much (that was hidden or denied) has been revealed.
It's time to calibrate philosophies and actions to what's most important, and in line with the deepest knowing. A challenge around the holidays is using the friction constructively, and avoiding (when possible) destructive, possibly ancient, patterns of strife.
Source: http://astrology.about.com/od/transitsandaspects/fl/December-Big-Picture.htm
Comments