The astrology for December 2018 starts the month with increased intensity. We are liable to be suspicious, even jealous, of things happening around us. We have to be cautious that we don’t move forward with little more than confidence.
December begins with two significant shifts in energy. On the 1st of December, Mercury retrogrades out of Sagittarius and reenters Scorpio and by doing so ends the Stellium of three planets in Sagittarius. On the 2nd, Venus exits its own Sign of Libra and enters Scorpio, a Sign of its Detriment where Venus is not at all comfortable. Also on the 2nd, the Sun squares Mars.
Now is a time for us to be resourceful and to put a damper on overconfidence, over optimism or any other ‘overs’ that could create a heap of trouble for us. We might be holding our cards too close to our chest and refusing any input from other people, input that could keep us from taking some wrong turns or might prevent us from racing ahead with a sense that no matter what confronts us we can work it out.
Early December can have us in a whirlwind of our own making. Instead of a labyrinth through which we can reach a center, we might find ourselves in a maze and exerting a great deal of energy but going nowhere.
The 5th of December has the Sun square Neptune and the day before Mercury turns direct on the 6th. Confusion may be rampant. We might question what our intentions could be. This period is also on the dark side of the Moon prior to the Sagittarius New Moon on the 7th. It would be wise for us to slow things down and not take anything for granted. Both our sense of self and our thought processes might not be at their optimum but rather scattered, unsure of ourselves and making any movements tentatively and second guessing ourselves. Whenever Mercury changes direction, whether from direct to retrograde motion or from retrograde to direct motion, things can get convoluted with distortions and missteps until we get back into familiarity with the change of pace, the shift in the rhythm.
The Sagittarius New Moon on the 6th – 7th is in the second decanate [Aries] of Sagittarius. Mars conjuncts Neptune on the 7th, and the New Moon configuration squares the Mars Neptune conjunction. With Mercury having just turned direct and the New Moon influence impacting the next two weeks through the rest of the Autumn season and up to the Full Moon on the 22nd, we are in a period whereby we could be expanding our interests and increasing our involvements but possibly without enough restraint or braking action.
This latter part of the Autumn season is liable to be one where we are impetuous, willing to act impulsively and to forge ahead no matter the impediments in our way. Foolhardy actions may in deed occur. Our optimism and our assumptions may be over-the-top with us assuming that we are being divinely guided and are on the right track of realizing our personal destiny. Let’s try and maintain equilibrium and balanced action. Such a suggestion could be hard to embrace, for while Mercury has turned direct we are still in the Mercury retrograde ‘shadow’ until the 24th when Mercury reaches the degree at which it turned retrograde in November.
The irrational exuberance engendered by the Sagittarius New Moon configuration can be enhanced on the 12th of December as Mercury exits Scorpio to reenter Sagittarius, a Sign of its Detriment, where Mercury is not too comfortable and considers the broad expanse without accounting for the specifics. As Mercury enters Sagittarius, the Sagittarius Stellium is reengaged with Mercury joining the Sun and Jupiter in the Mutable Fire Sign.
The last week of Autumn does offer us solace and a better sense of grounding and closes the season out on an upbeat.
The 16th of December has Venus sextile Saturn. We could draw upon a trusted confidante for advice and suggestions for a slower-paced, more resourceful manner to accomplish our goals. The question will be whether we heed the advice of taking a moderate and conservative approach or if we are going to push forcefully forward assuming that everything will fall neatly into place. The former would be wiser, the latter more of a gamble.
Perhaps our Sagittarian enthusiasm can be tempered and properly applied on the 17th when Mars sextiles Pluto. By drawing upon a best practices approach we could virtually move mountains on this Monday to begin the last week of autumn and usher in the winter season. Our persistence and determination are likely to be great, and we might find ourselves being far more effective with less exertion of energy.
December 20th has the Sagittarius Sun trine Uranus in Aries. We can appreciate new characteristics within ourselves and in so doing we could engage new ideas, options and alternatives that we might embrace either now or as a resolution for our future. We may be feeling freer, more independent and able to step out of the strait jacket of our past identities. One of the beauties of the holiday season is recognizing the birth of the light, and that in the darkness the light is born.
December 21st is the last day of autumn and the first day of winter. Before the Winter Solstice, Venus trines Neptune and Mercury conjuncts Jupiter. Whether we are off for a long Christmas holiday weekend or not, we are likely to be filled with good cheer, a sentiment likely to be contagious. We can all celebrate the dawning of the light with an appreciation that this autumn season is going out on a high note and promises an expansionary and optimistic year ahead.
The Winter Solstice on the 21st has the Sun exiting Sagittarius and the Sun entering Capricorn to usher in the winter season. The Sun’s Sign change also ends the Stellium of three planets in the Mutable Fire Sign and triggers a Stellium in the Cardinal Earth Sign as the Sun joins Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn.
We may take on a more serious tone to our involvements, but the frenetic and frenzied energy is not diminished but liable to be ratcheted up with a sense of trying to accomplish ever more and an anxiety of waiting for some shoe or other to drop.
Let’s be cognizant of the fact that we can be less reactive to situations, better able to direct our energies rather than getting caught up in the swirling energies occurring all around us. In the flurry of activity, we might seem more grounded and more willing to develop a structured plan by which to expand our interests.
The 22nd has the Cancer Full Moon with the Capricorn Sun being in the first degree of the Cardinal Earth Sign. With the Christmas holiday in full gear, this weekend can have us participating in family affairs and social occasions to engage the holiday spirit. Some activities may seem obligatory. Taking care of what needs to be done to be socially correct might be carried out by quality of time rather than quantity of time. We could have various stops to make, and each stop would be better suited to brief engagements, before going off to the next round of involvements. Whether in person, on the phone or by text, we can reach out and touch everyone we need to contact.
Christmas Eve on the 24th has Mercury square Neptune and Mercury coming out of its Retrograde ‘shadow’ with Mercury returning to the degree in Sagittarius where Mercury turned retrograde back on the 16th of November. We might be in a whirlwind of activity, akin to the Mad Hatter in Alice’s Wonderland whereby we feel as though we are late to accomplish what needs to be done prior to tomorrow’s festivities. Our mind may not be the clearest, and it would be wise for us to take the time to list what needs to be done. Direction and itinerary are keys to us not getting lost in a fog or being overwhelmed by all the chores we need to attend to.
The latter part of December seems geared to holiday gatherings, well wishing those we know and those we meet.
Venus sextiles Pluto on the 28th. Even if we tend to be reserved in our expression of our feelings, this may be a time when we make someone aware of our appreciation for the depth of connection we have with that special person and with those special people in our life. We may go out of our way to show that we care.
The month of December ends and the year of 2018 ends and the new year of 2019 begins with Mars on the 31st ending its transit of Pisces and Mars entering its own Sign of Aries. We close out the old and begin the new year with a rush and a thrust of impulsive energy to put our personal mark upon the coming year.
December 2018… Making it Merry Amidst the Chaos…
