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Dec - 2009

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. 

VOID-OF-COURSE MOONS. It’s best to avoid starting important new projects or making major purchases during these times. “Business as usual” is the best strategy for these periods, which occur when the Moon has made its last major Ptolemaic aspect but has not yet moved into the next sign. 

THE STORY SO FAR: 

As December opens, only one retrograde planet remains: Uranus, and him for less than a day!

The triple conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter, in effect thru next month, squeezes in for a final group hug Dec. 8-21. Uranus, now at 23° Pisces, is making a tight semi-sextile with Neptune thru May 2010, and continues to connect with Jupiter and Neptune through their mutual receptions.

This fusion of energies creates the opportunity for Spirit's light to pour through with extraordinary power. As it does, it can bring profound healing to the personal and societal wounds afflicting us all. Since free will allows any astrological setup to be used for good or ill, this intense energy can also breed fanaticism, delusion and insanity. (Not to mention a stock market bubble that most astrologers expect to burst any time now. According to savvy financial astrologers such as Ray Merriman -- and in the unanimous opinion of a recent panel of respected financial astrologers from around the world at the recent ISAR Astrology Conference -- this could cause the market to drop even lower than before. The panel didn't expect a full US market recovery until about 2020. For more on this,click here.)

Whatever the market does, you can do your part to help keep his energy on the high side by inviting in this light, allowing yourself to be transformed and uplifted by it, and sending it back out to the world on the wings of your healing prayers.

12/1 (Tue). Intuitive decision-making is supported with Mercury sextile Neptune.

Uranus, retrograde since 7/1, goes direct today at 23° Pisces. This will be especially potent if you have sensitive points around 23° Pisces, Gemini, Virgo or Sagittarius. (Pay attention to those intuitive flashes!) For the rest of us, Uranus direct can be used to shift from thinking about being unique, individuated and/or humanitarian to actually embodying those traits.

Venus is in Sagittarius today thru Christmas, radiating expansiveness and generosity in relationships and encouraging sky’s-the-limit creativity!

12/2 (Wed). There’s a FULL MOON today, the first of two in December, at 2:30 am (11° Gemini). Take stock of how you’re doing with learning, all forms of communication, eclecticism and tricksterism, and make adjustments as needed.

This Full Moon’s Sabian Symbol is, “Newly opened lands offer the pioneer new opportunities for experience.” So, in the Geminian spirit of curiosity and eclecticism, venture forth into a quest for expanded possibilities!

12/3 (Thu). It’s a magical day for receiving divine inspiration, or for feeling deeply connected with Spirit (Sun quintile Neptune).

12/4 (Fri). Relationships benefit from the stabilizing energy of Venus’ sextile to Saturn. This is also a smooth and energizing financial transit (Venus = money, Saturn = business).

12/5 (Sat). Mercury will have an unusually long stay in Capricorn, today thru 2/9. This is because of its upcoming retrograde (12/26 thru 1/15), which will take place entirely within this most serious of signs. Accordingly, this will be a good period for focused and disciplined mental energy.

12/7 (Mon). Communication may get intense around now with Mercury conjunct Pluto, so try to steer clear of control freaks and power trippers. But this is a great time to do business, since Mercury = commerce, Pluto = wealth, and Capricorn = business. Or you can play detective and burrow down into the cold hard truth of a situation!

As Mercury squares Saturn, be mindful of those who would control your thoughts or words.

Healing, especially via alternative modalities, is especially empowered in the weeks around the 7th as Jupiter conjuncts Chiron.

12/9 (Wed). Artists can ride the creative wave that peaks as Venus quintiles both Chiron and Jupiter.

12/10 (Thu). Enjoy a strong but harmonious Sun-trine-Mars energy boost. This is a great time for leadership and getting things done – especially if you can put your body in motion!

12/11 (Fri). Venus adds another quintile to her collection – this time to the singing muses ofNeptune – to keep the creative inspiration flowing.

12/12 (Sat). On this first day of Hannukah, Jupiter is semi-sextile Uranus. Exploring alternative spiritual paths, or innovating within your current one(s), is energized in the weeks around the 12th.

12/13 (Sun). You might enjoy some extra agility and dexterity today – along with some inspiring intuitive flashes -- as Mercury makes a magical quintile to Uranus.

12/14 (Mon). Feeling a little jittery? An effective remedy is to identify the intuitive flash you’re resisting (Sun square Uranus) and get with the program! Some of that extra energy you’re feeling, by the way, is coming from a Sun-Jupiter sextile.

12/15 (Tue). An easy and energetic connection with your creative muse, or your Higher Self (or both!), is flowing (Sun sextile Neptune).

12/16 (Wed). December’s NEW MOON (25° Sagittarius) occurs today at 7:02 am. New starts in higher education, worldly expansion, and your philosophical worldview would be well-timed. But be sure to make your questing experiential and not just mental, particularly regarding the direct experience of spiritual energies (Moon sextile Neptune) and receptivity to intuitive flashes and flows (Moon square Uranus). If there seems to be a choice between maintaining harmony or daring to embrace transformation (Moon conjunct Venus and Pluto), think twice before opting for the status quo!

This New Moon’s Sabian Symbol is “A chubby boy on a hobby-horse.” I get the sense of a sheltered child, fantasizing about adventure from the safety of his bedroom. To the extent that we’re dreaming of an adventurous and mind-expanding life rather than living it, we all share something in common with him. In what area of life are you ready to dismount your imaginary steed and saddle up the real thing?

12/17 (Thu). Relationship harmony and creative flow are accentuated around the 17th by a Venus-Mars trine. With both planets in fire signs, this is also a wonderful energy for intimacy!

12/19 (Sat). Okay, says Venus’ square to Uranus, two days of relationship harmony is plenty. Now consider how you can paradigm shift your union to a new level!

12/20 (Sun). MARS, who reverses course about every 18 months, is RETROGRADE 12/20 thru 3/10. This is a good time to contemplate how you express aggression, sexuality, and leadership. New beginnings may gain traction more slowly during this period.

With Venus sextile Jupiter, relationships may feel lucky and a bit dreamy, while creativity is strongly boosted.

12/21 (Mon). Unity consciousness and creative inspiration are powerfully energized in the weeks around the 21st, thanks to a Jupiter-Neptune conjunction. (It will be 13 years before this conjunction comes around again.)

These same energies also get a shorter-term boost (days rather than weeks) from a Venus-Neptune sextile, which can also help harmonize and spiritualize important relationships.

The Sun enters Capricorn on the 21st, radiating the energy of seriousness, discipline and accomplishment thru 1/19.

12/24 (Thu). Prepare for an intense Christmas Eve, due to a potent conjunction between the Sun and Pluto! Steer toward heartfelt soul-baring rather than pointless power struggles.

12/25 (Fri). The sky energy on Christmas Day is actually rather serious, with social Venus enteringthe no-nonsense sign of Capricorn, and the Sun's energy restricted by a square to Saturn. This energy is good for planning and organizing, but it might take a little extra effort to generate holiday cheer. At least the Moon will be in Aries, which will help generate some warmth and energy!

12/26 (Sat). MERCURY IS RETROGRADE today at 9:38 am thru 1/15 at 11:52 am. (It held off until after Christmas, but landed on the first day of Kwanzaa instead!) Try to avoid starting important new projects during this time, and triple-check and back up everything to do with travel and technology. However, Mercury retrograde is always a wonderful time for contemplation and planning.

12/28 (Mon). Relationship transformation, sexuality and extreme creativity are potentiated by an intense Venus-Pluto conjunction. Its placement in Capricorn is also ideal for making money!

12/29 (Tue). Poor Venus just can't catch a break: yesterday she conjuncts Pluto, and today shesquares Saturn! Venus-Saturn squares are well-known for bringing relationship challenge, but they also give you a chance to face and resolve any unresolved issues. If this process is successful, then Saturn can give a relationship a more stable foundation, or – to continue the construction metaphor – even add a new room onto the house!

12/31 (Thu). 2009 ends with a bang, with a LUNAR ECLIPSE that’s also December’s second FULL MOON. It occurs today at 2:12 pm (10°14' Cancer). This eclipse is like a Full Moon on steroids, and, like all eclipses, its effects could last up to a year.

This one asks how “full-filled” you are in your home life, emotional expression and happiness. Other themes include transformation or release of relationships that are not promoting your personal evolution (Moon opposing Venus), and embracing those who do not seek to control you, but serve as positive catalysts (Moon opposing Pluto). In addition, the Moon-Saturn square asks who is holding the authority cards in your life. If they're not in your hand, they're going to be played by someone else!

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.