December 17-24, 2023

December 17-24th

This week feels a little wobbly and scattered. I’m not trying to blame Mercury RX either.  My suggestion would be to not “lock” into anything. Do your best to go with the flow, which is easier said than done during the multitude of holidays, travel plans, school schedules, etc. 

We are still coming off the Sun squaring Neptune and Venus inconjunct Chiron on the 17th. Read last week’s post for further info. 

On December 18th, Mercury RX (retrograde) in Capricorn is trining Jupiter in Taurus, also retrograde at 5 degrees.  This is the 2nd time for this aspect. Reflect back to around 12/7 for echoes of the same energy. This may have you wondering how you make meaning of this world. In this sensate world, we have so much beauty, but given all of the chaos in our larger world, we may wonder how we can access it. I’m dating myself, but remember “Climb Every Mountain” from The Sound Of Music? I wasn’t such a fan of that song when I was younger, but now that I’m older and have had some life experiences, I can see the wisdom in its lyrics. What thoughts will help you climb that proverbial mountain? How do faith and optimism inform your trek? How can you be open to learning and discovering new places or sources of insight?

December 20th has some interesting energy. First up, we have Venus in Scorpio opposing Uranus in Taurus at 19 degrees. When we are dealing with Venus we can expect relations, alliances, finances, etc to come under the microscope.  There could be a sense of confinement, instability, or too much intensity, so some of us will feel the need to break out and get some space or elbow room. Do you feel that? Or partner? This is a transit, so consider your actions carefully, especially with our second aspect–Mars in Sag inconjunct Uranus in Taurus at 19 degrees. You may want to run for the hills…but just for a night or two. You may not want to deal with finances, but if there are issues (relationship-wise as well) they aren’t going away.  How can you get some distance without blowing up a relationship? You may feel very differently in a few days. How can you deal with the uncomfortable? The awkward? But not vacate the building entirely? Venus’s glyph is often seen as a handheld mirror. What’s your part in the dynamics? Is there something external reflecting something internal? Finally, sort of a side note, but Pluto moves to the 29th degree of Capricorn which is called an anarectic degree. This can speak to an energy that feels taut or strained. Something needs to change, finish, or be wrapped up. This certainly coincides with this time of year and the day before the solstice (which could be considered New Year’s Eve zodiacally).  Pluto, since it’s a slow-moving outer planet, holds this 29th degree until January 20, 2024.  I’ll be curious how you all feel about it. Please comment below or email me if you’d like. Mercury RX in Capricorn making a second sextile to Saturn in Pisces at 2 degrees. The first time we felt this energy was on December 2nd. The final time we will experience this specific aspect will be on January 17, 2024. When we have a “3-hit” aspect, we often find the first hit to be the most potent. In the 2nd hit, we are making adjustments and reviewing what’s occurring, and in the 3rd, we have learned what we can and are ready to move forward. I really like sextiles. Everyone has something in the “game”.  We may be resolved in what we are thinking or communicating about. We may have some restrictions, but they help us keep our boundaries. This aspect can really help us focus and deal with the details. 

December 21st- the Winter Solstice! This is when the Sun moves into Capricorn. For the next 30 days (but setting the tone for the next few months before the Spring Equinox) we will want to zero in on what is working. Capricorn is represented by the mythical sea goat. We have scaled the mountain and now we look down upon the majestic, wide sea. Or we could feel like we are at the bottom of an ocean abyss looking up at the mountain we need to climb. What helps us take the first step on such a trek? How does a need for safety and security get us up and moving? We can start the journey, but do we have support? Do we need to delegate some other responsibilities along the way? In the Northern half of the world, the Sun isn’t as strong (think of the Sun in summer versus the winter).  We need to conserve our strength. We need to be conscious of how we allocate our energy and resources. We may have to say “no” to things we often say yes to, in order to attain a goal. 

December 21st Mercury RX conjuncts the Sun in Capricorn at 0 degrees. It’s like Mercury is being given special instructions on how to move forward. But, wait! Mercury RX will move back into Sagittarius on the 23rd. How resolute we are in our thinking today is liable to change or waffle tomorrow. There’s something for us back in Sag land. Did we forget to pack our optimism? Do we need to review our “packing list”? Mercury in Sag may want some extra freedom to roam and explore before taking off on the Capricorn journey ahead. If you celebrate Christmas, you may be thinking, “First let me go play and spend time frolicking with friends and loved ones, and then I’ll deal with (fill in the blank).” Perhaps the Sun in Cap meeting up with Mercury in RX at 1 degree wants us to earmark that page. ‘This (fill in the blank) is important, and I’ll get back to it, but there’s something else I have to finish before I start another project.” Take some time to consider or reconsider how you think, communicate, and perceive. Something is being spotlighted here for you to pay attention to. That this aspect is happening at 1 degree of a cardinal sign is important. So, slow down, take note. 

December 23rd–as I said above, Mercury RX re-enters Sag, so that’s a change in how we think and communicate, and then the Moon will also conjunct Uranus in Taurus at 19 degrees. We may feel a spike in anxiety or restlessness. Taurus is a fixed earth sign. It wants stability and security. So does the Moon. Uranus? Nope. So you can see that there’s some kind of contradiction here playing out. Yet again, we may ask ourselves, can I breathe my way through this situation or experience? Do you like being uncomfortable? How do you deal with it when you are? If you’re in a stuffy building with your winter coat on, maybe you take your (proverbial) coat off or go to the bathroom and put your wrists under some ice-cold water. Only you will know how to navigate this energy. Either by consciously working with it, or dealing with the aftermath if there’s a bit of an explosion. The Moon makes aspects with other planets this week, but it seems like this one feels the itchiest. I’m noting the rest of the aspects here:

• December 19th the Moon meets up with Neptune at 24 degrees : dreamy, foggy, creative, escapist

• December 20th the Moon conjuncts Chiron and then the North Node (15 and 22 degrees respectively): hungry, healing, wounding, wanting more

• December 21st the Moon conjuncts Jupiter at 5 degrees: things may seem bigger than they seem, bigger emotions, growth, a need for more.

Look at your Pisces, Aries, and Taurus houses for more information and insight. I’ll be curious to hear how this all resonates for you.

We end this week on December 24th with a Sun in Sagittarius sextiling Saturn in Pisces at 2 degrees. We have support in bringing some balance into our day.  We may want to cavort and play, but we know we have a lot else going on, so you give yourself a time limit. “From 9-12, I’ll wrap (cook, clean, do last-minute shopping, work out, delegate some jobs/responsibilities), and then for the rest of the day I will focus on being with my family (enjoy making a meal with a loved one, going to church and listen to the carols, watch a movie with a friend, etc).” It can feel like Fun! But with boundaries. Getting work done so you can enjoy something else. Saying no to something you know will take you off-center. It could help you focus on what’s most important and vital to you. How do you stay present in the moment? Presence is a present. 

Whether you are celebrating Solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, or some other holiday, may it be a happy and healthy one. 

**My intention with these weekly astrology reports is something like looking at a weather app. If you know it will rain, you’ll bring an umbrella. Awareness can help us navigate the Astro “weather” too. I  hope to share this information in an easily digestible way (not too much jargon).  Please read this information knowing that these energies can appear in higher or lower forms. Even though I may give specific dates for the exact aspects, you could feel the energies a few days before or after as the aspects form and separate.