Mercury Grand Trine
December starts out with Mercury Retrograde, but switches to its more favorable direct motion on Dec 5th. During the first 12 days of December, Mercury, the planet of mind and communications, descends into dark and oft-conspiring Scorpio, casting a bit of a shadow over our thoughts. Perhaps some revisions could improve our plans. Mercury will begin to brighten our thoughts when it re-enters high-minded Sagittarius on the 15th. Here its condition is strong as it slows, stands still, and then moves forward into a harmonious Grand Trine with Chiron in intuitive Pisces and North Node in compassionate Cancer for ~2 weeks, helping us find solutions to emotional issues that impact our health and state of mind. Luckily, Mercury brings “Joy to the World” when it conjoins with Jupiter for most of the Christmas season, lightening our moods.
New Moon – Dec 7th
New Moons are times to set intensions for the lunar month ahead. The planetary dance is tense, yet there is cathartic healing as well. The Mercury-Chiron-North Node water Grand Trine sensitizes us. We want harmony, but there is so much strife! The North Node (our destiny) is the fulcrum point in the charts this month as it triggers the good, the bad and the ugly. However, since WE determine our own personal destinies, focus on positive attitudes, in order to receive better outcomes. Insisting on conflict and aggressive actions, only yields strife and discord. It’s all available. Our “destiny” is up to us! So set your intention this day to live by your principles, no matter what.
Venus opposed Uranus
Venus (female energy) activates Uranus (revolutionary change) in late November into mid-December as retrograde Uranus moves backwards through Aries until March… Expect the unexpected during these months, including more protests, sex scandals, and court filings, predominantly driven by women who are beginning to feel their nascent power after the midterms, but the path ahead looks bumpy. With both Venus and Uranus forming a Grand Square to the Moon’s Nodes, feminist satisfaction is likely to be blocked, suppressed, denounced or delayed. But it’s OK, Ladies, because our time is coming!
This Venus/Uranus opposition cuts the zodiac in half, with Venus in Scorpio, Mercury-Jupiter in Sagittarius, Saturn-Pluto in Capricorn, Neptune-Mars-Chiron in Pisces, and Uranus in Aries. The Sun moves from light-hearted Sagittarius to serious Capricorn on December 21st and the Moon visits all signs each month. Aquarius, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo and Libra lack planets throughout December. This lopsided chart highlights existing imbalances and lack of understanding between peoples and nations. It also tends to increase extremes of behavior from reclusiveness to hyper-social activity, or workaholic activity to agoraphobic compulsions, depending on how the active half of the transit chart impacts one’s natal chart. With such concentration of planets, people may be focused on self or others, work or home, private or public life, etc. Normally, the planets and our focuses are more diversely distributed.
Winter Solstice/Full Moon
The Winter Solstice Sun on Dec. 21st squares Mars/Chiron on the Midheaven, warning of government-inflicted public wounding in the months ahead, while trining Uranus which means something unexpected. Saturn and Pluto sit on either side of the Descendant on the Solstice, suggesting harsh and dangerous relations with allies and enemies alike, which could mean more acts of terrorism or reprisals. The Full Moon, mere hours later, shows these same malefic planets straddling the Midheaven, which doubles the warning. And yet romance or bromance are in the air too, as Venus trines Neptune, despite the tensions .
Christmas
Although everyone wants to get along, sharply divergent opinions make for tense dinner conversations. Your dreams may be challenged, but with Mercury conjunct Jupiter in Sagittarius, aim for a light-spirited Christmas this year.
New Year’s Eve
Some of you may find yourselves staying home this New Year’s Eve because the Midnight chart has all the planets in the bottom half, the private “homebody” part of the chart. Ask a few friends over or just keep it intimate because crowds will be less appealing this year and excessive public behaviors are likely.
Summary
The heavens are in conflict as Grand Squares, full of tension, combine with Grand Trines, full of promise. The world is in turmoil. Arguments, partisan politics, uncertain economics, conflicts, and lack of clear direction are the order of the month as we wrap up an intense year. Yet despite the confusion and general distress, there is a gradual healing happening, and although the process is messy and blind, a flicker of hope arises. We don’t have clear answers, and solutions seem out-of-reach, but don’t despair! We must continue to slog through the darkness in order to “make it” safely to the new dawn… even if we can’t see the way forward clearly. The “Shift” IS happening, unsettling our lives, perhaps until 2026 or beyond, and yet it is exactly what we need in order to reach a breakthrough. Rejoice because next year starts out a whole lot more peaceful than 2018!