It's All
Good Astrology, by
Benjamin Bernstein:
"Your forecast is the
best, in my opinion, because it's so readable, absorbable, & 'user
friendly.' There are a number of planetary updates that I receive, but
sometimes they are overwhelming and hard to absorb. Yours is just
right." -- Kristine
December - 2007
Whatever
your sun sign, this forecast will help you choose how to best use each
month’s astrological energies! Events are most powerful on the dates
listed. However, their influence will be active for at least several
days before and after. All dates and times are in the U.S. eastern time
zone.
While everyone is affected by these global transits, you will be most
powerfully impacted when moving planets activate natal planets and other
sensitive points in your birth chart.
12/1.
December opens in the midst of a
BOWL configuration (also
called a CRADLE),
comprised of a string of energizing sextiles connecting Uranus, Ceres,
Mars and Saturn, as well as a Uranus-Saturn opposition. This can bring a
highly productive and enriching period as the new comes into shape or
the old is revitalized. The Uranus-Saturn opposition indicates that an
established order or system may need to make way for a paradigm-shifting
innovation. This configuration started 11/24, peaked 11/30 and will last
through 12/9.
Mercury enters
Sagittarius today through the 20th -- a great time for new
learning or passing along what you already know.
12/2.
A
YOD,
or “finger of God” configuration, peaks today and is active 11/30 thru
12/4, with sextiling Sun and Chiron both quincunxing retrograde Mars.
Many interpretations are possible, but the one that comes to me is about
developing a new healing strategy to replace an old one that isn't
working. The Sun is in Sagittarius, the sign of quests and journeys.
Chiron, the planet of alternative health, is in Aquarius, the sign of
revolution and paradigm shift. And they're both activating Mars, which
is retrograde (reflection, redoing) in the sign of Cancer (nurturing and
healing). Could it be time to consider herbal remedies and detox
programs instead of pharmaceuticals?
Seeking support for
creativity or key relationships? It doesn't get much better than Venus
(in her own sign of Libra) sextiling expansive and fortunate Jupiter (in
his own sign of Sagittarius).
12/3.
Please note that today's entry is unavoidably technical,
since I'll be discussing the combined effect of three interlocking
aspect patterns – a rare and powerful occurrence! If these are deeper
waters than you care to swim in, simpler interpretations resume on 12/4.
As if one
YOD wasn't enough, a second one
peaks today with sextiling Ceres and Mars both quincunxing the Sun. One
way to use this would be to move boldly (Mars) in an adventurous new
direction (Sun in Sagittarius) that boosts your self-esteem or creates
income (Ceres in Taurus). This Yod is active December 2-4.
The two
currently active Yods join to form a
DOUBLE YOD KEY
Dec. 2-4, also peaking today. According to
Sally Fisher's web article, “The two Yods point to areas of equal
force in the chart, where it may be difficult or impossible to make a
choice between priorities, although generally one or other area will
dominate at different times. The net result of this is a ‘flickering
focus’ between the two Yods - which can produce either an inability to
decide on anything related to these Yods or apparently sudden decisions
to ‘change tack’….”
In this case, one
Yod’s focal point (the Sagittarian Sun) says "Go for it!", while the
other (retrograde Mars in Cancer) says "Woah, let’s think about it for a
while." Integrated, however, you can have the best of both worlds: an
exciting new adventure launched on the basis of careful reflection.
There's also a
T-SQUARE
in the sky – a Saturn-Uranus opposition squaring
the Sun – active Dec. 1-7. (It peaks tomorrow, but I'm discussing it now
in order to integrate it with everything else that's going on.) Saturn
and Uranus are over 6° apart, and won't make an exact opposition until
November 2008, but the Sun is splitting the difference and pulling their
energies together.
This T-square focuses
radically different energies onto the Sun. Saturn urges restraint,
caution and conservatism, while Uranus wants to hurl a Molotov cocktail
to light the fires of revolution and change. These energies can be
joined -- keeping the best of the old while paradigm-shifting into the
new -- but the highly challenging nature of a T-square doesn't make this
easy.
To make matters
even more interesting,
the Sun serves as a focal point for three of the
currently active aspect patterns
(Bowl/Cradle, T-square and one of the Yods)! This means that, if your
natal chart contains a sensitive point around 12° Sagittarius, it's
receiving a laser-like focus of tremendous astrological power. That
makes this a powerful time to take bold new action (guided by careful
reflection) -- which could be religious and/or philosophical, and could
possibly involve delving into a new field of knowledge or immersion into
other cultures and lifestyles.
As if all that isn't
enough, the Sun is also sextiling Chiron today. With its energies of
attending to the details and being a maverick, Chiron can be a helpful
ally in the process described above.
Finally, there's one
more aspect which is completely independent from everything else going
on today: Venus sextile Pluto, which can empower and transform both
relationships and creativity.
12/5.
Venus enters Scorpio
today, fresh off her sextile to Pluto. (Pluto and Scorpio embody the
same archetypal energy.) Venus will transit Scorpio thru the 30th.
This is a good time to take your relationships to a deeper level of
intimacy, transform the ones that need changing, or release the ones
that no longer serve. It’s also a great time for cathartic art!
12/6.
Mercury connects to
both Neptune and Saturn today – the two planets whose recent opposition
energized the success of “The Secret.” Therefore, it’s a great day to
use your mental powers (expanded, due to Mercury being in Sagittarius)
to powerfully visualize the reality you desire!
12/7.
Mercury quincunxes
Mars today, adding fuel to the visualizing that you started yesterday
(if you can adjust your schedule to make time for this powerful mental
work).
The Sun also squares
Uranus, which can make for a day of stop-and-start energy and unexpected
surprises. However, by consciously opening yourself to the intuitive
flashes that Uranus loves to send, you can take the edge off the
square’s more challenging tendencies.
12/8.
As retrograde Mars
sextiles Saturn, reflect on new ways in which you can project your
energy into the world. This “Energizer Bunny” aspect can also beef up
your stick-to-it-iveness.
12/9.
This month’s
NEW MOON
is at 17°
Sagittarius at 12:39 pm eastern time. It’s a great time for new
beginnings in your religious or philosophical path, courses of study,
and exposure to the cultures and customs of those in other parts of the
world.
12/10.
Mercury (rational
mind) and Uranus (divine mind) square today, and you may receive
intuitive flashes that contain special urgency. You may also tend to
resist them, which will not serve you. Your mind may also be
working at high speed and with enhanced brilliance, so this is a great
time for mental activities. With Mercury in Sagittarius, just try not to
get too scattered!
12/11.
JUPITER CONJUNCT PLUTO.
The biggest astrological event of the month occurs today as Jupiter
makes a one-shot conjunction with Pluto. Jupiter positively embodies
expansion, enthusiasm and luck, while Pluto manifests favorably in terms
of wealth and power. If this is hitting a financially sensitive point in
your chart, it could represent an extraordinary opportunity for a major
windfall. (Jupiter and Pluto only come together about every 13 years,
and are conjunct in the charts of such wealth magnets as Bill Gates and
Warren Buffett.) You could also use this conjunction to empower inner
psychological exploration, sexuality, and/or empowerment of learning,
travel or exploration of other cultures.
Venus and Mars also
trine today, creating an easier than usual flow for relationship and
creative expression.
Finally, the Sun is
sextile Neptune, ramping up the desire for experience beyond the
three-dimensional world. Diving into spiritual practice or creativity
are great ways to harness this force.
12/13.
The month began with
a BOWL/CRADLE
configuration, and now we have another one
peaking! Three of the planets are the same -- Ceres, Mars and Saturn --
but we've lost Uranus on one end and gained Venus on the other. The
basic definition of a Bowl -- "a highly productive and enriching period
as the new comes into shape or the old is revitalized” -- still applies.
With this group of planets, however, there’s a relationship theme,
making the 9th thru 15th a powerful time to work on
solidifying important relationships and making sure that they're either
good for your self-esteem or profitable. Looked at another way, this
Bowl is also a good time for creative types to earn some money from
their efforts!
Rationality has its
place, but today, with Mercury sextile Neptune, arriving at an answer
may be as easy as relaxing and allowing Spirit to flow it to you.
Spontaneous activities such as improvisation or extemporaneous speaking
are also supported.
12/14.
If you got through
the 12/3 entry, you should do fine with this one: it only combines two
aspect patterns instead of three!
We begin with
one of those aspect patterns, which peaks today and runs from the 10th
thru the 19th: a
T-SQUARE, in which opposing Ceres and Venus
both square Chiron. Although a T-square always brings some challenge, it
can also act as a spur to action, and this one contains the seeds of
financial opportunity. Venus, the traditional money planet, is in
Scorpio, a sign of wealth. She's opposing Ceres in Taurus, the other
money sign, and Ceres herself can also represent money. Their squares to
Chiron in Aquarius suggest that innovative thinking, done with careful
attention to detail, could produce a positive financial outcome.
Two members of
the T-square, Venus and Ceres, are also part of the Bowl discussed on
12/13. As it happens,
both the Bowl and the T-square (five planets in all) are
focusing their energies on Chiron today! If
using this combined pattern in a relationship context, it's a great time
to stabilize existing relationships by working through old childhood
wounds brought up by them, or by seeking a mentor who can give you
insights into relationship issues. From a financial perspective, the
additional planets don't fundamentally change the interpretation in the
previous paragraph. But the additional presence of Saturn (the classic
business planet) and Mars (initiation and entrepreneurship) do add more
juice!
12/15.
When Venus squares
Chiron today, the relationship adjustment issues being raised by the
current aspect patterns could reach a peak -- a good time to address
them proactively!
12/18.
Can you say "STELLIUM"?
It's pronounced “stell-ee-yum,” and is indeed, in this case, a yummy
cluster of planets all clustered together! Four planets are less then 3°
apart in late Sagittarius: the Sun, Mercury, Pluto and Jupiter. If ever
there was a time to communicate a transformative message, this would be
it: Mercury the messenger, Jupiter the teacher and Pluto the transformer
are all being energized by the Sun. All Mercurial activities --
learning, writing, teaching, lecturing and so on -- are powerfully
supported while this Sagittarian Stellium is active the 15th thru the
18th. Since Mercury is also a business planet, the financial
possibilities of the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction (see 12/11) are also
energized.
This Stellium
actually holds together well beyond the 18th, but takes on a more
businesslike flavor as three of the four planets move into Capricorn by
the 23rd. The first to break ranks is Jupiter, which shifts into
Capricorn today. Jupiter only changes signs about once a year, so this
is an important astrological event. (Not nearly as important as the
powerful shift that will occur when Pluto enters Capricorn late next
month, but I’ll discuss that in my next forecast!) Jupiter in Capricorn
is an energy that’s good for business, and can mix enthusiastic
expansion (Jupiter) and conservative realism (Capricorn). Jupiter and
Capricorn are naturally opposite energies – expansion versus
contraction, adventurousness versus the status quo – but you can benefit
by drawing from the best of both for the next 12 months.
Venus also trines
Uranus today. You can use this energy to receive intuitive flashes into
creativity and relationship. Spirit will be sending signals; will you be
receptive enough to receive them?
12/19.
Saturn begins its
annual retrograde today, and won't turn direct again until May 2. Saturn
relates to business, ambition and accomplishment, and its retrograde is
a good time to reflect on such matters. You’ll feel this retrograde
shift most powerfully if you have a sensitive point in your natal chart
around 9° Virgo, or if Saturn is strong in your chart.
Mercury conjuncts
Pluto today, giving an energy boost to the Stellium described on 12/18.
12/20.
Mercury follows
Jupiter into Capricorn today, where he'll stay through January 7.
Mercury in Capricorn supports serious, productive communication, and can
give extra staying power to mental projects. Mercury then catches up to
Jupiter and races past, giving a boost to all things mental.
The Sun also
conjuncts Pluto today, giving a general boost to the transformative
energy in the air.
12/22.
The Sun enters
Capricorn today, marking the longest night of the year and the
WINTER SOLSTICE.
(And beginning a five-year countdown to the Winter Solstice of 2012,
the date the Mayan calendar ends.
Click here to listen to my free audio lecture on "The Astrology of
2012.") This makes the Sun the third planet to enter Capricorn in
five days, and makes Capricorn the sky’s dominant energy through January
7. This is a good time to use one of Capricorn’s two complementary
natures: the ambitious, ultra-productive workaholic (work your plan), or
the reclusive hermit resting and recharging (plan your work).
The Winter solstice
is only one of several astrological events today, since Venus and
Mercury are each making two aspects.
The two planets that
fueled the success of "The Secret" during their recent opposition –
Neptune (visualization) and Saturn (manifestation) -- are both aspecting
Venus today. That makes today especially juicy for using the Law of
Attraction to fulfill your desires in the areas of creativity and
relationship.
Today should be great
for getting mental work done and receiving intuitive flashes, with
Mercury boosted and inspired by its opposition to Mars and its quintile
to Uranus.
12/23.
Need an energy boost
or a fresh hit of hope? Today's Sun-Jupiter conjunction should help!
Also, this
month’s FULL MOON illuminates the
night at 2° Cancer
at 8:16 pm eastern time. This is a great time to ask how “full-filled”
you are in regards to the give and take of nurturing and healing energy
in your life, as well as your home life and the state of your psyche.
Make adjustments as needed.
12/24.
The vitality in the
air gets a Christmas Eve boost with today's opposition between the Sun
and Mars.
12/25.
There should be some
Christmas magic in the air as the Sun (vitality) makes a quintile
(creativity) to Uranus (flashes of divine inspiration)
Uranus aspects can be
a little chaotic and unpredictable, so it's a good thing that we also
have Mercury (the mind) trining Saturn (stability) today.
12/26.
A business-friendly
GRAND TRINE
peaks today, composed of three planets with
financial themes: Saturn, Ceres and Mercury. The fact that the grand
trine is in earth -- the element most associated with business and money
-- adds to its power. Assuming you're not on vacation, you can ride this
energy to success the 22nd thru the 30th. Not so financially focused?
You can still enjoy the Grand Trine’s grounding and stabilizing effect.
Mars opposes Jupiter
today, a powerfully energizing combination, and great for new
beginnings. Since they're in the signs that relate to family matters --
Cancer and Capricorn, respectively -- putting new plans in motion as a
family, or that relate to family, is well supported at this time.
Alternatively, you
can use some of that Mars-Jupiter juice to fuel a creative project,
since Mars and Venus -- two planets that tend to join creatively – are
connecting with a creatively inspiring biquintile.
12/28.
Both of the currently
active Grand Trines (see 12/26 and 12/31) get a boost as Ceres turns
direct today. Check your natal chart around 10° Taurus to see what might
be getting a boost in terms of either finance or self-esteem.
12/29.
"I am a genius
today." Affirm this all day, and the Mercury-Uranus sextile peaking
today, which can open the mind to powerful intuitive flashes, might just
make it come true!
12/30.
Venus enters
Sagittarius today, where she will remain through 1/24. Her tenure in
this sign can bring an adventurous spirit to relationships and fresh
energy to creativity. She also quincunxes Mars today, so be prepared to
make some necessary adjustments in significant relationships.
12/31. The Sun takes
Mercury's place in the Capricornian corner of the
GRAND TRINE
discussed on 12/26. (This revised version of the
configuration lasts 12/24 through 1/6.) The interpretation is much the
same, although the presence of the Sun adds more vital force to the
Grand Trine's financial possibilities.
December
closes with one last sign change: Mars retrograding back into Gemini.
(It will stay there through March 4, turning direct in the sign of the
Twins.) While in Gemini, Mars will energize the affairs of the mind.
QUICK GLOSSARY OF ASTROLOGICAL ASPECTS
Conjunction.
Two planets in the same place (0° apart). Union; merging.
Opposition.
Two planets opposite each other (180º apart). Opposition; relationship.
Square.
90° angle. Conflict; challenge for growth.
Trine.
120°
angle. Easy, flowing connection.
Sextile.
60° angle.
Flowing, high-energy connection.
Quincunx.
150° angle. Difficulty
making connection; adjustment required.
Quintile.
72° angle. Inspiring, creative connection.
Biquintile.
144° angle. Like a quintile, but
more subtle.
