December Update
Christmas is coming! Here in Australia, the December Solstice marks the longest day, and the coming of the hot and dry that is the hallmark of Summer and our Southern Hemisphere festive season. This month is characterized by a social energy with Jupiter in Libra sextiling Saturn in Sagittarius from now and continuing well into 2017, a combination that suggests a practical quest for harmony, a balancing of work and revelry, wisdom and indulgence, truth and fairness and the highlighting of opportunities for higher learning, travel, and the coming together of people in peace and friendship. Mercury will move retrograde on the 19th in Capricorn challenging us to be more practical and disciplined in our thoughts and communication, while Uranus stations later this month, triggering a prominent urge for originality, freedom and independence.
3 Dec Mercury enters Capricorn
8 Dec Venus enters Aquarius
14 Dec Full Moon at 22 Gemini
19 Dec Mercury moves retrograde
19 Dec Mars enters Pisces
21 Dec Summer Solstice: Sun enters Capricorn
25 Dec Saturn trine Uranus, Christmas Day
27 Dec Jupiter opposite Uranus
29 Dec Uranus moves direct
29 Dec New Moon at 8 Capricorn
Full Moon
December's Full Moon at 22 Gemini at 11.05 am Melbourne time shines its light on how we communicate our feelings, how we think and connect, and our need for variety, stimulation and freedom. With trines to Jupiter in Libra and Mars in Aquarius, there's a natural flow to our thoughts and communication in relationship, and even an intuitive perception of energetic frequencies. The challenge however provided by the Sun Saturn conjunction in Sagittarius is to attend to detail, to ground our thinking in practical reality, and to take care not to overwhelm ourselves or others with passion or dogmatism. Mercury, ruler of this Gemini Moon, is in Capricorn and is slowing down ready to retrograde on the 19th, so there could be a tendency to chaos or confusion, and the square to Chiron suggests old wounds could be triggered, so think carefully before you speak, to prevent misunderstandings and unhappiness.
Mercury retrograde
Mercury, the planet that rules the mind, perception and communication, moves retrograde at 15 Capricorn on 19th December at 9.55 pm and when it shifts direction, its energy moves from the outer world into the inner world. And the result may mean that the lead-up to Christmas is chaotic! And I don't just mean breakdowns of planes, trains, buses, cars, phones, the internet and visible forms of communication. Misunderstandings and errors may creep into our shopping lists, our plans for the holidays, our finances and our business arrangements, so I strongly suggest planning to ensure parcels and cards are posted, shopping is done and holidays are booked and paid for well before the 19th. The chaos of 17th - 21st December cannot be over-estimated, with Mercury stationing conjunct Pluto, planetary ruler of earthquakes, and with Uranus, ruler of lightning bolts opposite the Jupiter sextile Saturn social harmony aspect pattern I mentioned above. This retrograde period will especially impact anyone with personal planets or angles at 15 (counting down to 0 by late Dec - early Jan) of the cardinal signs - Capricorn, Cancer, Aries and Libra, not to mention 28-29 Sagittarius, Gemini, Virgo and Pisces around 4th - 8th January. In Capricorn, the focus is on practical communication, so make sure you dot your i's and cross your t's as much as possible over the next three weeks. It's a perfect time however, to reflect on the areas Capricorn rules - your business, career, your budget, your duties, responsibilities and any structures in your life, and do any housekeeping associated with them. Insights may arise around the time Mercury conjuncts the Sun on the 29th, but don't be tempted to act on them until the 8th January when Mercury finally moves direct again at close to 29 Sagittarius.
Summer Solstice
The Summer Solstice this year is at 9.44 pm Melbourne time on 21st December, as the Sun enters Capricorn. This is one of the ancient milestones in the Wheel of the Year - the longest day and shortest night. It's the time when the Sun arrives at its furthest point south - the Tropic of Capricorn - and pauses briefly before retracing its path north. That moment of pause is like a moment frozen in time, when the Earth shifts on its axis, a magical moment of stillness where for a second, if we can catch it, we can tune in to the essential nature of ourselves and our world. This is a powerful time for ceremony, for prayer or meditation, for opening to the will of the divine or to spirit. Take time on this day to tune in to the stillness and feel your unique oneness with the Universe.
New Moon
The New Moon at nearly 8 Capricorn at 5.53 pm on 29th December resonates with the importance of bringing discipline and structure to our inner and outer worlds. New Moon, new beginnings, and so close to the New Year, this is a good time to begin meditating on what our ambitions are for 2017. Where are we going - in terms of career, finances, education, community? How can we actually serve society? With Mercury retrograde and Mars sextile this lunation, this is a powerful opportunity to review our thoughts and actions and do a reality check. Are we being responsible? Are we being practical? On the day of this New Moon, Uranus is stationing, so there may be a strong pull within us towards freedom, breaking out of perceived constraints and the revelation of our individuality, or release of energetic vibrations from a higher source. How can we marry these considerations to achieve our goals in the world? A New Year's resolution coming from this space of practical and responsible innovation can go a long way towards establishing our authenticity and authority in our chosen fields of service.