Alternating currents of expansion and contraction, merging and separating, dominate the next couple of weeks. Maintaining balance and focus at the zero point between the two extremes will help to navigate through situations that are likely to change shape, direction and velocity at a moment’s notice. The December 11 Full Moon along the Sagittarius/Gemini axis breathes the fire of inspiration and wisdom, and the air of ideas and information into an already excitable global climate. This is the peak moment of the current lunar cycle that began with the November 26 New Moon in Sagittarius that encouraged us to expand and discover greater meaning in our life through more inclusive experiences. The Sun and Moon, representing creative and receptive forces, in Sagittarius and Gemini, representing the higher and lower minds, now oppose each other to highlight the need for integrating the two movements. If we resist this process, we may gather the facts but have no way to make sense of them all, or have big ideas but no way to plug them into our mind’s current way of perceiving things. According to Jim Sher: “The expression of all archetypal forms will manifest in terms of two sides of a set. There isn’t just one way in which it will be expressed. This is due to the dualistic nature of our minds and the fact that in order to grow we must have the opportunity to choose between ideas that bring about new and radically different ways of Being AND great resistance to those very ideas as well. Always both sides of a set will be seen.”
Venus in Capricorn joins the epic Saturn/Pluto conjunction December 11 to 13. In the sign of personal integrity, Venus archetypally assesses the stability of relationships and how much value they bring to one’s life. It emphasizes the benefits of collaboration but also insists on everyone doing their part. This tight triple conjunction in Capricorn brings focus and practicality to relationships, as well as the call to take on greater responsibility and be accountable to others for our actions. Venus in Capricorn places the highest value on doing the right thing with respect to others from an evolutionary, humanistic point of view. If we live by our highest code of conduct we may be amazed at what we can achieve. If we’re not fulfilling our role, then we may suffer the consequences.
On December 13, Mars in Scorpio forms a flowing trine to Neptune in Pisces that could stir passionate feelings and a desire to merge physically as well as metaphysically. Mars/Neptune in sensitive water signs is the spiritual warrior intuitively harnessing the healing power of compassion wherever needed, which may begin with loving and accepting ourselves just as we are. Mars can act forcefully to get what it wants, but when connected to the planet of cosmic consciousness, its courageous, pioneering energy is channeled into actions that serve the higher collective movement towards unity. As the sensitizing trine to Neptune wanes, Mars sextiles the realistic and strategically powerful Saturn/Pluto conjunction in Capricorn December 19 – 22, which stabilizes Mars’ impetuous energy with intense focus and prodigious productivity.
A Jupiter/Uranus trine on December 15 is a turbo charged alignment with the potential to propel us out of the box of common consensus and into the stratosphere of what it means to be our own authority. When Jupiter and Uranus get together we experience some kind of shift that will change the momentum of things. Jupiter correlates to opportunities, which we must make effort to take advantage of in order to expand our consciousness and grow. Uranus urges us to question everything and seeks paradigm shifts, always looking at ways to evolve beyond established ways of thinking. In practical earth signs, the Uranus/Jupiter pair will look at how new ideas can be applied in daily life in ways that are stable and add value to an existing foundation at the ready to evolve, but with this pair, there will always be something much greater at work. Think of the first landing on the moon, which occurred under a Jupiter/Uranus conjunction. It was a technological AND a philosophical breakthrough that correlated to the emergence of a new sense of unity and connectedness around the globe. Today, science (Uranus) and metaphysics (Jupiter) are growing closer than they ever have been since their split began in the late renaissance period. The UC Irvine cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman, for example, is exploring the nature of reality and developing the theory that we are conscious agents living in a virtual reality. In a lively interview just a few months ago, he made the case against our current perception of reality in favor of an emerging new form of scientific spirituality.
We will all probably feel the general mood lighten up when Mercury leaves intense, emotional Scorpio after 11 long weeks and enters inspirational Sagittarius on December 9. Shortly thereafter Mercury enters into a square with Neptune in Pisces that is exact on December 19. Here, reason (Mercury) and intuition (Neptune) are seemingly at odds. Do we depend solely on hard data to determine the nature of our reality, or can we give credence to the subtle signals we receive through symbolic encounters, dreams and our own imagination? The challenge of this tense third quarter “crisis of consciousness” square is to integrate our worldview from a higher perspective in order to see the holistic picture.
Another sign change and tense alignment extends the challenge to integrate in the arena of relationships and values. On December 19 Venus segues from Capricorn and the highly contractive conjunction with Saturn and Pluto, to Aquarius where it forms a square to Uranus in Taurus that is exact on December 22. Venus and Uranus are each in the sign ruled by the other, called “mutual reception,” so there is an affinity for how these planets will act in ways that find value in questioning the common consensus. This alignment can correlate to a need to address issues of imbalance in relationships, particularly with respect to considerations about what the relationship is and how it needs to evolve into the future. If one or both parties are resistant to needed changes, abrupt moves may ensue at this “crisis of consciousness” time in Venus/Uranus cycle.
The third sign change of the period occurs when the Sun enters Capricorn at 8:20 p.m. on December 21. This is the important Solstice event when the Sun is at its southern most point at the Tropic of Capricorn and begins to head back north. The chart for this celestial moment, which sets the tone for the coming season, features a strong Capricorn stellium including the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. This indicates an exceedingly serious tone about the issues of the day, particularly the Impeachment proceedings in the U.S. This is a call to remain highly focused, perform our due diligence on issues that arise and be accountable. Above all this is a call to be realistic about the situations before us – i.e. present to what is rather than hanging onto hopes of what we want them to be. That way we can respond effectively when we are asked to stretch in heroic ways that challenge what we believe our limitations to be. The other aspects described herein are part of the chart as well, but in particular the Sun aligned with the Jupiter/Uranus trine suggests our hearts will resonate with its exciting, expanding breakthrough energy and that we be willing to work hard to do what is needed, and sacrifice comfort and pleasure in order to take advantage of the surprising opportunities to grow that come our way.
Dear Kimberly,
Having been your avid reader for many, many months, I simply want to say THANK YOU!! Your insight and ability to speak of what needs to be said is very encouraging to me.
I am glad you have a platform like this to say what you so deeply see.
Stephen Zendt