December 2017 Monthly Forecast
Supermoon Begins Super-month
December begins with an inundation of cosmic input – Mercury goes Retro in Sagittarius, Mercury and Saturn hit a conjunction, and the year’s only Full Moon Supermoon fires things up in Gemini, so watch that communication! This is the first of three Full Moon Supermoons in a row, the dates being 4 Dec 2017, 2 Jan 2018 and 31 Jan 2018.
December is a ‘super’ month also featuring Mars in Scorpio and Saturn’s big zodiac sign change. How can you make it super-fulfilling even with such intensive astrology? Mercury is Retro from the 3rd to the 23rd and Saturn’s impact on Mercury particularly affects the first two weeks but doesn’t completely end until mid-January. With this combo, we might feel wrung out and exhausted from communication efforts, but persist, as around the time of the New Moon on the 18th, Mercury, communication planet, receives a helping hand, and so do we.
Key Dates – Mercury Retro & Saturn
The whole Mercury Retro cycle has three hits of Saturn conjunct Mercury tied in with it. Here’s all the key dates; times when it especially pays to put extra thought into communication:
- 15 Nov 17, Mercury in Sagittarius enters pre-Retro Shadow
- 28 Nov 17, Mercury & Saturn in Sagittarius conjunct
- 3 Dec 17, Mercury goes Retro in Sagittarius
- 6 Dec 17, Mercury & Saturn in Sagittarius conjunct
- 23 Dec 17, Mercury goes Direct in Sagittarius
- 11 Jan 18, Mercury leaves the post-Retro Shadow
- 13 Jan 18, Mercury & Saturn in Capricorn conjunct
Throughout December, the Sagittarius part of this Mercury/Saturn equation provides incentive to keep having a go at communication that creates connection, warmth, non-prejudice and the fulfilment of love.
Venus in Sagittarius – Kick up your heels!
Venus is in Sagittarius from the 1st until the 25th, joining Mercury and doubling chances for festive fun, inspiration and playfulness in parties, relationships, get-togethers, shopping and outings. These two together support spontaneous celebrations and good times.
From about the 12th to the 18th, Venus and Mercury make a beautiful alignment to the North Node (Leo) and South Node (Aquarius) increasing chances of making positive links with others. This is also a perfect mix for dating and romance, but remember Mercury is Retro so make sure to double-check arrangements and leave extra time for possible public transport hitches, queues etc.
New Moon in Sagittarius – Generosity
The 18th brings a New Moon in Sagittarius which keeps up motivation and momentum to persist with inspired approaches to words, behaviour, suggestions, images and attitudes we’re projecting. There’s a sense that if we do, the rewards of compatible links with others, generosity and encouragement will flow. This is emphasised by Mercury holding its positive alignment with the North and South Nodes right from the 12th to the end of December.
Yet there’s no escaping that with Mercury Retro and next to Saturn, there’s likely to be communication aggravation this month. Use the Sagittarius vibe to keep up efforts to be heard and truly understood and to truly understand others. The aggravation is then a positive side-effect of beliefs being stirred up for rethinking, like milk being churned to make cream, or butter being clarified to make golden ghee. These things take time, which is a Saturn speciality (‘give it time’ is a Saturn catch phrase).
Being the Wise Elders to Ourselves
The most important thing is to not jump to conclusions, a Sagittarius-energy downside. We all have this in us and all pre-judge without even knowing we do, for we each have accumulated ingrained rules and beliefs that we navigate life by. We all know that one misunderstood word can sometimes set off world wars in our feelings and therefore our attitudes toward others, but when the beliefs and interpretations of the word are cleared up, often warmth and love instantly return.
We all run on automatic-pilot beliefs that make sense to ourselves about what is right or wrong without noticing that we pre-judge based on those inner subjective rules. The key is to catch ourselves in the act of judging and reframe opinions and attitudes based on the unfolding process of each context, not on particular beliefs. This catching ourselves in the act and rethinking is something the Saturn vibe encourages. It’s ourselves being wise elders to ourselves.
Misunderstandings Being Put Right
Under Mercury Retro some misunderstandings based on incomplete opinions and premature conclusions can be put right, and connections flourish again. But sometimes ultimate incompatibilities reveal themselves after all efforts have been made at understanding.
The current astrology helps with finding ways to unknot and work through layers of misunderstanding so that hearts can be at peace even if after all efforts at connection and understanding, it’s still the best path to find significant connections elsewhere.
Passion alert! Mars in Scorpio
December’s astrology also features Mars moving into Scorpio on the 9th, continuing through into January. Jupiter’s already in Scorpio and these two together create hot and steamy, broody and sultry, which gets more and more intense as December passes. Mars and Jupiter won’t be exactly conjunct until 7th January, but we’ll know about their connection right from 9th December. Check your passion thermometer!
This energy is moody; up and down like a sulking horse trapped by a fence, or next moment elated, free in a wild gallop. Watch for the downside of emotional intensity, including overdoing partying and all the associated problems, but also seek the exhilaration of matched hearts truly connecting. Whether at an event of like-minded people connecting with hearts on fire over a shared cause, or whether in growing trust and intimacy with a friend or loved one, the joy of hearts matching and feeling deeply met is possible under this alignment.
Take Care – Power Problems
On a more cautious note, Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio travelling together could bring to the surface themes of power and control that are harmful or even abusive. If a negative emotional, financial or survival situation is brewing in your life, this is a time to seek trusted confidential advice, as sudden tempestuous emotional extremes are possible.
Themes of secrets versus privacy, betrayal versus trust, co-dependence versus intimacy could arise now for deeper healing. If the pain of bonding and relationship increases at this time and you find yourself grappling with despair or volatile feelings, it’s the perfect time to seek support, and when it comes to the Scorpio-energy, often confidential professional support is particularly effective.
Saturn into Capricorn – Big Influence
On the 20th, a major astrological change takes place when Saturn moves into Capricorn, and over the next 2.5 years we discover more and more ways to capitalise on the positives of focussed control for powerful benefits. Capricorn is a zodiac sign of determined, practical, controlled focus on directing power and energy toward goals.
Using Capricorn-style planning, reliability, accountability and repeatable effective systems and structures brings results. Yet the challenge for Capricorn is to not become so controlled in its focus that it becomes rigid in obeying rules and paradoxically starts to lose power.
Power and Control – Bring out the positive
Professions that are generally regarded as having a strong Capricorn flavour are the police-force, the traditional medical profession, insurance companies and banks, governments and the military; yet anything that has rules or systems is Capricornian, e.g. families, schools, movie productions, orchestras, and on it goes… everything that organises itself toward a goal uses Capricorn controlled focus of energy and power.
This includes personal relationships which benefit from boundaries, commitment, planning and effort toward shared goals. Under the vibe of Saturn in Capricorn from 20 December 2017 until March 2020, it’s a great time to solidify relationships, professional or personal, that have a desire for endurance, resilience and longevity.
Yet as with all energies to do with power and control, it’s important to check that boundaries (‘bound’) are not like bondage, but are supportive bonds; and that rules and structures are not weighing us down but rather holding us up.
The Scorpio–Capricorn blend
It’s now the 3rd of 12 months in which Jupiter will be in Scorpio. The transformation, rapid growth themes continue with life taking us into and out of grief experiences for deeper healing, and into and out of loneliness themes for deeper intimacy and connection with self and others. Now that Saturn is in Capricorn, for the next 9 months it partners with the Jupiter in Scorpio vibe.
What have you longed to do for a long, long time that could chronically sadden your heart and soul if you don’t put concerted effort into working it out, following it and overcoming obstacles? The next 9 months are an incredible opportunity to get to the bottom of any deeper growth or achievement needs and kick out blocks to achieving them.
Resurrection, reinvention, revival and renewal are all realistically possible – with effort. Saturn in Capricorn helps us put in that effort and reap the rewards. Yet the combination of Jupiter in Scorpio and Saturn in Capricorn can bring the blues or depression if something feels impossible. Scorpio encourages us to seek supports, release old pain, and flourish on rebirth pathways with the joy of what is possible.
The Solstice & Christmas
So what will you do to reinvent yourself or go the next level with your most passionate goals? December and January always offer time to plan and reflect on questions like these as one year draws to a close and the next starts, and interestingly, there’s annual matching astrology – i.e. every December is a crossroads day, the Solstice. This year, the Solstice is on the 22nd, and traditionally it’s a day to pause and reflect on the passing of half of the year and welcome in and prepare for the next.
On this particular Christmas Day in 2017, there’s an exact alignment of Jupiter squaring the Nodes. Jupiter is a planet of benevolence, generosity, abundance and providing hospitality to guests. The Nodes are known as the ‘axis of destiny’, which helps link or unlink connections.
Christmas Day, Jupiter & the Nodes
As we traverse the rituals of Christmas Day, the Nodes also represent all that rises up and down on soul seas. Moods float in and out; some might disrupt the day or others bring laughter and floods of happiness. Conversations bob up and down, sometimes like huge gloomy waves, other times like fountains sparkling and over-flowing. These are all part of the ‘guests’ at Christmas – the thoughts, feelings, memories, behaviours and attitudes we encounter, experience and express.
Given that Mercury, communication planet, aligns to the Nodes much of December, and Jupiter is the planet that rules Sagittarius, the zodiac sign Mercury’s in all month, this exact square of Jupiter to the Nodes on Christmas Day shows how the effort we put into the month’s communication intensive comes full circle.
There will be something to appreciate in all of Christmas’ guests, whether the ‘guests’ be emotions and moods, or the actual people present, new or old, including memories of loved ones departed. It’s a time to be fulfilled (‘full filled’) by the true magic of Christmas, and to sense into where the ‘soul river of life’ with its hidden connections with others is taking you next year.
Wishing you and your loved ones a fulfilling Christmas!
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Full Moon Supermoon Gemini, 4 December
Go here on 4 Dec for the Full Moon forecast, which stays online until the next Full Moon four weeks later. The effect lasts a week until the 3rd Qtr Moon, and on a core level lasts the whole month until the next Full Moon.
3rd Quarter Moon Virgo, 10 December
Go here on 10 Dec for the 3rd Qtr Moon forecast, which stays online until the next 3rd Quarter Moon four weeks later. The effect lasts a week until the New Moon, and on a core level lasts the whole month until the next 3rd Qtr Moon.
New Moon Sagittarius, 18 December
Go here on 18 Dec for the New Moon forecast, which stays online until the next New Moon four weeks later. The effect lasts a week until the 1st Quarter Moon, and on a core level lasts the whole month until the next New Moon.
1st Quarter Moon Aries, 26 December
Go here on 26 Dec for the 1st Qtr Moon forecast, which stays online until the next 1st Quarter Moon four weeks later. The effect lasts a week until the Full Moon, and on a core level lasts the whole month until the next 1st Qtr Moon.