December 2013: the Sagittarius season-looking at situations differently

We begin the twelfth month of the year with little fanfare compared to some of the previous months this year and things may seem calmer than usual until month's end, giving us a much needed break in terms of stressful aspects.

Mercury, the planet of communication and thinking,  is in its last week of heavy and intense Scorpio as we begin the month. The mental energy will change considerably as Mercury enters Sagittarius becoming more expansive if not jovial, as we are now in the Sagittarius season. As Mercury changes the way the world communicates, along with ideas, change in our collective thinking, proof comes again that nothing and no transit good or bad, can last forever.

With the Sun and Mercury in Sagittarius and a New and full moon falling on the 9th/3rd house axis we are in a period where traveling, education,  thinking, acting and communicating will come into focus take on the energies and concerns of the ninth/third houses.

The ninth house is about travel, education learning and ideas, governments, philosophies and sometimes legal or medical matters,  as well as expanding our own personal horizons and reaching out for new ways, concepts and methods in our personal lives. When the planets transit  the third and ninth houses, this is one of my favorite periods as new ideas seem to emerge from nowhere, and for many, the holidays are a favorite time of the year to visit friends and relatives. So, keep an open mind as to where your thinking may go, and remember some of the greatest ideas all begin with a single thought.

December's New Moon falls at 10 degrees of Sagittarius, December 2 at 7:22 p.m. EST, setting off ninth house themes. The moon squares Neptune which will bring water related weather conditions to parts of the country and may cause some inertia or confusion/misunderstandings on a personal level. It may be hard to go back to work after the holiday!  Whatever relief we get now should be enjoyed as toward the end of December the energies of the Cardinal grand cross that will involve Uranus, Pluto, Jupiter and Mars will be building again, and we will see much activity related to this in the early months of 2014 if not the end of December.

Mercury sextiles Mars on December 3, and this is the day to put ideas in concrete form and take action. December 4, Mercury enters Sagittarius, changing Mercurial energies and setting a lighter, more intellectual tone through December 23. December 6, Mercury squares Neptune, again bringing water related weather conditions, and this is a transit of confusion, and a lack of clarity. Make serious decisions on this day and you may live to regret them, or be misinformed. Don't take the energy seriously wait a few days and see if what you believe is actually correct.

Mars enters Libra December 7 at 3:41 p.m. EST where it will remain until late July of 2014! Mars usually transits the signs for 40-60 days but in 2014 Mars will retrograde in April and we will all retrace our previous steps before moving forward and may have to go back and correct certain situations. Libra is the natural ruler of the 7th house of partnerships, marriage and committed relationships and these are the areas we could be challenged in. The 7th house also rules courts and those considered 'open enemies,' or those you know to be enemies.

Jupiter trines Saturn in December and the aspect becomes exact on December 12. This is positive energy for financial matters, or starting new projects and it is possible we could hear some positive economic news. Those most favorably affected will have personal planets at 16-18 degrees of Cancer or Pisces. This transit should help us all to some degree this month and bring welcome financial news and some may see increases in money or business depending on where it is hitting your personal natal chart.

December's full moon falls at 25 degrees of Gemini on December 17, at 4: 28 a.m. EST. Gemini is the natural ruler of the 3rd house of travel and mental concerns, neighbors, immediate family members and neighbors. It is here our concerns will lie at this time. There is an emphasis on ideas, mental concerns and communications of all types. On the same day Uranus begins its stationary direct movement at 12:39 pm, EST and this may increase the energy/affects of this full moon. As this powerful planet stations to move forward we could see breakthroughs in medicine, technology and science to name a few. As Uranus is part of the Uranus-Pluto square and the Cardinal square of 2014 this is significant and events will start to amp up, good or bad. If it is going direct on a personal planet in your own natal chart, you could have unexpected, unusual or remarkable things happen to you, depending on what and how it is aspecting.

December 21, the Sun enters Capricorn and the Winter solstice occurs at 12:11 p.m. EST. It is the time at which the sun appears at noon at its lowest altitude above the horizon. After this, days will get longer.

Also on this day, Venus retrogrades at 28 degrees of Capricorn, not going direct until January 31, 2014. There can be big shifts in love energies (sometimes money in Capricorn) with this transit. DO NOT get married or engaged on a retrograde Venus! Many divorces and separations occur when this occurs about every 18 months. If you begin a relationship on this transit it could change when Venus goes direct. If you meet someone on the direct station of this transit (January 31 or the week of) this can be an extremely powerful time if it is making a positive aspect in your chart!

December 24, Mercury enters Capricorn and with the Sun and Mercury here, the Capricorn season has begun! Capricorn is concerned with 10th house matters: priorities and business and being a Cardinal sign events become larger when aspected.

December 25, and the few days before Mars opposes Uranus, becoming exact at 3:33 a.m, EST. Expect to see unexpected events, changes and try and be flexible with your plans as they may not all come to fruition as you expect . Arguments and disagreements can occur and this powerful transit will play out in the news and we will see volatile, unexpected and explosive situations around the country and around the globe in the hot spots. This is the most powerful and volatile transit of the month. Mars-Uranus is indicative of guns, explosions and violence. Christmas is generally a time of escalated domestic violence and we will likely hear news of this and other situations. The key in our own lives is to maintain flexibility.

December 29, the Sun and Mercury are conjunct at 7 degrees of Capricorn and this configuration squares Uranus at 8 degrees of Aries. This is a transit of stress and sudden and unexpected news that will play out in our lives if is making an aspect in your chart and in the world. People will seem willful and changeable in personal matters, priorities and business.  We could see or hear shocking events and situations and some of the news could involve the media. The Sun squares Uranus exact December 30, and this has to do with unexpected change/explosive situations coming to a head. Also on December 30, Mars squares Pluto and this is a transit of violence, volatility, anger and frustration. Pluto rules bullies, sex, crime and agendas and power struggles,  and your could experience some volatile situations this day. In the world this transit will play out in terms of violence, police, guns and weapons and will likely manifest in the hot spots around the globe in an intense manner. There will be those who push their agendas personally, and in the world arena. Many situations will be revealed for what they are at this time.

December 31, Mercury conjuncts Pluto and squares Mars in the morning hours, EST. This is obsessive and argumentative energy. Situations will be revealed and mental changes can occur. You may notice this in people around you, or you may feel obsessed by a single thought. Be careful driving, and I expect accidents, problems with transportation and problems relating to others. Pluto rules bullies and those pushing their personal viewpoint. On the world stage situations will occur that could involve media, violence against women, and agendas.

January 1, 2014 the Sun conjuncts Pluto and this is a transit of change, and power struggles and issues. January 2, the Sun squares Mars and this can be an energetic but angry transit if it is aspecting your personal chart.

Between December 25, and January 2, the stressful aspects mentioned above will once again set off the Uranus-Pluto square we all live under. By December's end the U-P square is separated by 3 degrees but this is well within orb for this most powerful transit to be set off bringing major events to the world and in your personal chart if it is aspecting something. In 2013 we have seen events related to turmoil in the Middle East, catastrophic weather events, mass shootings, political and gridlock polarization in the US, slow economic growth, and general anger in the population and I have no reason to believe this time will be any different.  When the U-P square is set off, events become larger and can in effect, relate to the world and large segments of the population. In the end, this transit will change the world like it did in the 1930's and again when Uranus and Pluto were conjunct in the 1960's.

The key to positive holidays this year is to remain calm, cool, collected and flexible, and remember to always put peace ahead of everything else. Good luck and Happy holidays to all!