While much of this month may be taken up with holiday gatherings and making merry, this December also allows us to focus laser-like on the key elements of our lives, tying up loose ends associated with our past and seeking the most expeditious means of broadening our activities and planning diligently our future goals. No matter what is going on in the world-at-large, we can cut through the appearances and the spin to get to the heart of any matter and see how we fit into larger patterns without giving up our autonomy.
Although we can line our ducks up in a row this month, we also have to be aware that we will be operating under a Mercury retrograde cycle for much of this month, from the 10th into the 30th. Whatever we do this month, it would be wise for us to check and re-evaluate to be certain that we’ve covered all the bases, taken care of all the details and created a structure that is flexible and adaptable to any changing conditions. If we cannot initiate well-considered actions before the 10th, and especially between the 5th and the 9th, then we might want to put off our launch until we come into 2011.
The month begins with two planets in a Fire Sign, two planets in an Earth Sign, three planets in Air Signs and three planets in Water Signs. Four planets are in Cardinal Signs, two planets are in Fixed Signs, and four planets are in Mutable Signs. Five planets are in Positive Signs and five planets are in Receptive Signs. The month also begins with an emphasis upon ‘two-fers’, with two planets in each of four of the zodiac Signs.
December starts with a bucket pattern chart. For many of us, this bucket chart has most of the planets below the horizon with the handle to the bucket being the Jupiter Uranus conjunction in Pisces in the seventh House. We may find that our actions and our involvements are being heavily impacted by other people’s decisions and actions, many of which could be unexpected curveballs and might precipitate unanticipated changes to our plans. This is a month for us to engage the key characteristics of these times: to be nimble and quick, ready to adapt and change according to changing circumstances.
There are some very pleasant energies as we begin the month. We might be engaging some wonderful moments with those special people in our lives, either directly in person or over the phone lines, by Internet or through holiday cards. We want to enjoy this holiday season and may feel ourselves richly deserving of some good times and fun events. We may also have come to realize the truth to the saying from the song in the 1927 Broadway musical Good News: ‘The Best Things in Life are Free.’
We may take advantage of community holiday light gatherings, social get-togethers and other events that highlight this period of the year and come with little or no cost to ourselves.
On the 1st, Mercury sextiles Venus, followed by Mars sextile Neptune on the 2nd. We may be looking at how we can best manage our time yet incorporate an inclusive approach that engages many of our friends, loved ones and past connections. Yes, the month begins with us wanting to reach out and touch someone and virtually everyone we know.
While we can be fairly upbeat as we begin the month and may feel up to the challenge of any curveballs thrown our way, there are several days during December when we need to keep a heads-up and be restrained in regard to any impulsive or impetuous actions or reactions on our part.
The first of the heads-up days comes on the 3rd when Mars squares Uranus. It would be wise for us to think before we act, since this energy could trigger impulsive actions. We might assume that we can anticipate the consequences of our actions, but this energy could prove too hot to handle with a likelihood of things spinning out of control, thanks to unanticipated variables impacting the situation. The potential for accidents now is strong but primarily if we try to force issues or push against any obstructive factors without considering possible pushbacks.
The 5th has the Sagittarius Lunation and this New Moon configuration has the Sun Moon conjunction sextile Saturn. Mercury is conjunct Pluto and this is the day that Uranus ends its five month retrograde cycle and turns direct. As a New Moon puts an imprint on the fortnight, with the waxing Moon coming to a Full Moon two weeks hence on the 21st; the signature of the forthcoming two weeks highlights a broader perspective, an interest in the new and the different, all the while that we are focused on the truly meaningful. We can be highly productive during this holiday period. We can make our contacts, maintain our connections, yet not drop a stitch in the juggling of tying up loose ends, broadening our realm and devising our future plans. We may feel inspired to give thought to activities that allow us full creative self-expression. We might not engage them during this holiday period but we are considering what we want to do, where we want to go and how we can be most effective with the least expenditure of energy. Continuing with the bucket pattern chart, we might feel as though our life journey is a manifest destiny and that we have disengaged from some of the brambles and briars that have held us up over the past two years.
This second week of December can be a time of parties, gatherings and general enjoyment. The 7th has the Sun sextile Saturn and Mars exiting Sagittarius to enter Capricorn, thereby creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Cardinal Earth Sign as Mars joins Mercury and Pluto in Capricorn. The 8th has Venus sextile Pluto and the 10th has Mercury sextile Venus. This period from the 5th through the 9th can be a highly productive and effective time. We may play catch-up with friends and with colleagues. We might consider how certain events could benefit our plans and our future goals. We can see how the various aspects of our lives, like pieces to a puzzle, fit neatly into a pattern and provide the thrust for our desires, our hopes and our wishes. Now is a time to blueprint and structure how we choose to move forward in the year ahead. We can bring closure to outstanding matters, disengage from the frivolous and concentrate on what really seems to have true purpose for us.
The 10th begins the Mercury retrograde cycle, and we all have experienced some of the influence of Mercury retrograde, which at its worst is akin to Murphy’s Law: “if anything can go wrong, it will.”
This Mercury retrograde cycle continues into the 30th, and so much of this December period asks us to be on guard, check things over and, if possible, to postpone major decisions and significant commitments. If we have to go ahead with important matters during the Mercury retrograde, then we need to be certain that we have addressed all the important details, included all significant specifics and accepted the likelihood that things may take longer than we like or that things may have to shift and change as we progress.
The 13th is the second of the three heads-up periods this month, and this one could prove a doozey. The 13th has the Capricorn Stellium of three planets ratcheting up the energy severalfold as all three – Mercury, Mars and Pluto – are all conjunct one another. While I referred to this as a heads-up day, it might better be described as a day to pull the covers over our head. The intensity is extreme with likely actings out, belligerence and discussions easily turning into heated arguments, even to the point of physical altercations. This intense energy configuration is explosive, can witness earthquake activity or volcanic eruptions, could experience problems for underground and mining activities, might trigger bomb blasts and fiery conflagrations, and may even see another shoe dropping regarding the global economy and financial institutions. Not to create anxiety, I would suggest that being vigilant and being alert during these two days of the 13th and 14th are essential. If we can maintain a handle on these energy configurations, and that would certainly be a tall order, then we could use this time to look at situations in a very scrutinized manner. We could cut away the dross and concentrate on the fundamentals. There would be no putting anything over on us, but the key is to be detached and take a very objective viewpoint in regard to whatever we are viewing.
I have raised concern before regarding the influence of the energy patterns unfolding. One time was this past August when we first engaged the Cardinal Climax. Another is fast approaching as we enter the new year of 2011. I continue to believe that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg regarding collateral damage from the financial institutions / global economy meltdown. And I would advise a fairly conservative approach to investments, financial commitments and expenditures. This period of the 13th–14th of December would provide us some possible insights regarding other cracks in the system and might assist us in properly preparing for our future.
But there are times when cautionary words seem like spitting into the wind. And the spinmeisters are likely to focus on individual incidents rather than patterns, are likely to disregard events as isolated situations and continue to refuse to connect the dots.
The 16th has the Sun trine Jupiter. No matter what occurred earlier in the week, whether we feel we might have dodged a bullet or any egregious events are made light of, the tendency will be to put on blinders and affirm that all is right in the world. A sense of irrational exuberance could take hold, and we have to recognize the extremes in volatility to which we have already become accustomed. Like a metronome, the balance point seems barely reached as we swing from one extreme of despair and anxiety to the other extreme of irrational exuberance and blind faith.
And so it is in this month of December. Apart from the 3rd with Mars square Uranus, the early part of December seems pleasant and highly enjoyable. Yippee, good times are back again.
Then we come to the 13th-15th when we might feel as though the earth has opened up and is in process of swallowing us up.
But we can wipe our brow, let out a loud sigh of relief and get back to having good times from the 16th through the 19th. With the Sun square Jupiter on the 16th, the Sun sextile Neptune and Sun square Uranus on the 18th along with Mercury retrograding back into Sagittarius, and the Sun Mercury conjunction on the 19th; we could be indulging a little too much, spending beyond our means and engaging the holiday spirits to excess.
The 20th-21st provides the third of three heads-up this month, as Mercury squares Uranus on the 20th, followed by The Gemini Full Moon Eclipse on the 20th-21st and the Sun entering Capricorn on the 21st. Unexpected situations and foreign intrigue could disrupt travel plans. Communications can be off, with the Internet on overload and computers possibly crashing. If we are looking to travel during this period, it might be better done on days other than the 20th and 21st.
Again the metronome swings back to heightened concerns and a sense of dislocation.
After the 21st, the next few days leading up to Christmas seem especially pleasant. We may be looking to gather with family, or spend some special time at home around the hearth. Taking time to enjoy ourselves and enjoy the company of those special people in our lives can make the holidays bright and cheery, no matter what is going on in the world at large. During this time, we might also consider our new year resolutions, giving thought on where and how we plan to place our energies during the coming year.
The 27th through the 29th could also prove a little dicey. There might be a frenetic energy operating, with us trying to fit in various activities and get-togethers with those people we could not engage earlier in the holiday season.
The year comes to closure with Mercury turning direct on the 30th and with hopes of a prosperous and happy New Year.
December 2010… enjoying good times, maintaining vigilance and looking ahead to better days…
