In December we have both the end of the calendar year and the Winter Solstice, which marks the start of winter and precedes the new growth of spring. These seasonal symbols continue the theme we’ve explored since March of this year: the tension between the new and the old, what might be and what is.
Astrologically, the holidays bring more opportunities to do the work we were assigned at the Spring Equinox: to re-vision who we are as individuals, as countries, and as global citizens and to take action to change the old structures, be they our own lives or our institutions.
We kick off the month with Uranus turning direct after being retrograde since August. When a planet is retrograde, we tend to feel its influence more internally. With the planet of radical change and freedom retrograde, the call to liberate ourselves has been growing beneath the surface, but external attempts at changing may have eluded us at times.
After Uranus turns direct on December 9th, breakthroughs become easier and may happen spontaneously, seemingly from nowhere. Whether you find this process exciting or disconcerting depends on how open you are to change. If you find the changes disruptive, ask yourself if an opportunity lies underneath the chaos. Will there be more freedom and authenticity in your life? If so, seize that opportunity. Ultimately, every change is freeing up energy for growth, no matter how unwelcome in the moment.
The following day, December 10th, we have a full moon lunar eclipse. With the moon in Gemini opposing the sun in Sagittarius, we need to look at our daily routines and mental constructs and determine if they’re truly in line with our vision of the future. Is your talk just that: talk?
A square from Mars in Virgo demands that there be substance to your vision and that you roll up your sleeves and get to work. If you are emotionally tied to ideas that aren’t effective or realistic, you are being asked to release them. Now is the time to take stock of your dreams and bring them into line with the day-to-day details of your life. Nervous energy and enthusiasm aren’t enough: substantive change requires meticulous, practical planning. Watch the tone of your conversations. They can quickly turn intense and escalate over petty matters, especially if you stay in the realm of talk and no action.
A square from Ceres to the full moon points to another area for stocktaking. Do you feel deserving of your vision for change? Sometimes plans don’t manifest because we question our worthiness or we don’t take the time to nurture our dreams. Our self-doubt shows up in the quiet ways we undermine and sabotage a perfectly obtainable goal. Use the illumination of the full moon to root out any underlying messages you may telling yourself that limit your ability to embrace the life you want to create.
Mercury turns direct on December 13th, easing the flow of communication. It remains in Sagittarius, so we need to be watchful of the ways our big plans and visions are more hot air than executable, viable maps to our futures. Dreams which can’t be mapped in detail will remain in the realm of dream. A lovely trine from Uranus provides us an opportunity to see the future in a brilliant new light, pushing some past stalemate.
On December 21st, we have Winter Solstice, our annual calling to turn inward, pare down, and prepare for new growth. This solstice, the sun joins Pluto in the underworld, pushing us to plumb our depths. The moon, too, is in its dark phase, a waning crescent in the sky, its light dying. Every symbol intimates we use our will to prune the unnecessary, to distill our knowledge, and to take the hard, uncomfortable look at those aspects of ourselves of which we are less than proud. Keep your focus on the changes you need to make. Looking outside of yourself will not serve the future you are trying to bridge.
Rather than being filled with cheerful holiday spirit, we may feel turbulent and resentful, especially from the solstice through the 29th. A stressful aspect from Uranus compounds the pressure, adding a healthy dose of recklessness and chaos before Christmas.
We may find ourselves feeling like a pressure cooker with a short in the wiring. If you keep the spotlight on yourself rather than others or the world around you, you’ll fare better. Willful acts of self-transformation that require self-discipline and personal accountability might actually get you somewhere. Seething in frustration and resentment toward others or your situation will only stall your progress.
The new moon on December 24th continues to underscore our underworld theme, with the sun and moon with Pluto receiving a square from Uranus, and a tense aspect between Venus and Jupiter might tempt us to overdo it – too much food, drink, fun – as a way to relieve the pressure.
This year end, we’ll do well by envisioning ourselves on the archetypal hero/ine’s descent to the underworld, katabasis. It’s nearing the end of the journey in which we must face the darkness and our fear of death – be that physical death or the death of some aspect of ourselves or our lives which has served us well in the past.
In the ancient Sumerian hymn, Inanna wasn’t able to enter the underworld until she relinquished her worldly finery and stood naked and vulnerable before her greatest enemy. Use the end of the year to be ruthlessly honest with yourself. What are you willing to give up to move forward and be fearlessly, authentically yourself? What fears must you surrender, what security must you release, what responsibility must you accept? At year end, you are between worlds. Use this period to retreat inward and contemplate your journey thus far and the distance you need to go. Prepare for the journey ahead.
Want to give the gift of astrology this holiday season? Ask me about gift certificates. From now until the end of the month I’m offering a special rate to my readers and clients. For details, contact me by email ([email protected]) or phone 800.604.0299/352.378.4664.
If you know your ascendant (the sign rising at the time of your birth), read that sign. Otherwise, read your sun sign:
Aries: You’ll be feeling your oats this month. Now more than ever, you are ready to move into a new role in the world, and now more than ever, you need to have a clear plan and all the details in place. Hunker down and get it right. Stress can run high, as can impulse, so here’s your mantra for the month: Breath, plan, ground. Breath, plan, ground. Gemstone: Red Jasper.
Taurus: With Jupiter in your sign, opportunities and ideas for expansion abound. Aligning yourself with your highest ideals brings you sustainable results. Don’t hesitate to take action in creative ventures. It’s time to make your voice heard. Gemstone: Moldavite
Gemini: Reduce, release, and relinquish. This month is about endings for you, so surrender to the process. Old ideas, self-concepts, and ways of viewing your life are primed for revision or the dustbin. Aspects of your past may also fall by the wayside. Gemstone: Flourite
Cancer: Relationships could be tricky this month or they could experience a renewal. Much depends on your ability to put good boundaries in place and own your end of the interaction. If you start feeling moody, learn to say no and speak your truth in a loving manner. Heart-to-hearts with your closest intimates can bring renewed intimacy. Gemstone: Rhodonite
Leo: The first half of the month, spend time with children or working creatively. As the latter half of the month approaches, it’s time to get to work. Be willing to make serious adjustments around your health and daily routines. If you have bad habits in this area, now is the time to root them out. Gemstone: Aventurine
Virgo: Take action on your creative impulses. Self-expression can flower right now if you trust your instincts and refused to get bogged down in a fruitless pursuit of perfection. Take the risk, put it out there, and recognize your personal best is good enough. Work may still feel ungrounded or unclear, but seek the beauty in it anyway. Gemstone: Amazonite
Libra: Try to clear your mind and pinpoint your direction, especially the first half of the month. If your normal tact and diplomacy fail you, the challenge may be muddied facts or confusion around what you truly want. Family dynamics may be especially intense around the holidays, so spend a time alone to regroup and ground yourself. Gemstone: Onyx
Scorpio: You may be bubbling with new ideas and new ventures, but spend the first half of the month hammering out the details in depth. Acting on big plans without adequate knowledge will backfire. Do your homework. Toward the end of the month you’ll be better prepared to take action. Gemstone: Kyanite
Sagittarius: Be careful not to overstate or oversell your position. Doing so can erode other’s trust in your competency, especially early in the month. The holidays present you the opportunity to rework your financial plan or take a deep look into your fundamental values. Are you living the life that allows you to walk your talk? Gemstone: Chrysocolla
Capricorn: The first half of the month may be confusing, as issues long thought resolved rear their unloving heads. Bringing them into your awareness for a dispassionate inventory clears old material from your psyche. The latter part of the month may find you irritable and under pressure. Become an alchemist: harness your turbulent feelings and transform them into gold. Gemstone: Moss Agate
Aquarius: Your social calendar will be full early in the month, so be careful to pace yourself. The last weeks of the month are good to do a full financial stocktaking. If you want to live a life dedicated to your ideals, you’ll need to listen to your unconscious talk-track around money and to identify the ways it sabotages you. Gemstone: Tree Agate
Pisces: Stresses with work and at home may be a focus this month. Ultimately, you need to clarify your direction. Your vision of the future is in the midst of a transformation, which can unsettle those closest to you. Work on communicating this shift and the realistic plan you have in place to make it happen. If you can’t, start at square one: develop the plan. Gemstone: Sodalite