by Sally Shotwell —
Sally Shotwell is a life-long student of esoteric spirituality whose focus on studies in Astrology have spanned decades. She has entertained and informed our readers with her articles for a few years now.
We enter this last month of tumultuous 2020 processing how the Full Moon Gemini Eclipse (sudden change) has affected our circumstances. We’re getting used to the idea that the trials being presented to us are guiding us to greater self-understanding, but, let’s figure out how we can nurture ourselves, and others, along the way. With this comes the flexibility we need to positively navigate the very powerful December 14 Total Solar Eclipse in fiery Sagittarius. Soon after, on December 21, the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, in airy Aquarius makes history right before the Winter Solstice, in earthy Capricorn, ushers in a sacred time of rejoicing as the Light, and promises of rebirth, bless us. To take advantage of these major events, let’s check out influences which support us along the way.
December 1 Mercury (our thought processes) enters fiery, optimistic Sagittarius, prompting us to expand our horizons and intellectual inquiries. He’s happy here and we find ourselves anxious to communicate these new enthusiasms with others. The sign of The Archer is ruled by magnanimous Jupiter and our mood may lift as we raise our gaze to the heavens. The 5th, intriguing Venus, in watery, mysterious, Scorpio, communes with otherworldly Neptune, in watery, mystical, Pisces. We find ourselves floating in a dreamy realm in which creativity and our intuition run wild. Our staying grounded may be a challenge. Also tricky, the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Money, experiences an awkward encounter with assertive Mars, in fiery Aries. They do not see eye-to-eye in seeking intimacy and we may observe this tension play out in interactions we observe. The 6th, Mercury finds himself at odds with unpredictable UranusRx, in earthy Taurus, and this plays out for us as belief-oriented communications don’t flourish. Let’s avoid a confrontation.
December 9 the Sun (our consciousness) in extravagant Sagittarius, interacts with nebulous Neptune (in Pisces) and our focus and judgment suffer from the exchange but the confusion doesn’t last long. The 10th, Venus (in Scorpio) and relentless Pluto, in responsible Capricorn, connect and conspire to reveal formerly concealed desires which allow us to participate more authentically in a valued relationship. Later in the day, the Sun (in Sag) and Mars (in Aries) combine their fiery energy to motivate us to seek out adventure and like-minded companions. The 13th, Mercury (in Sag) is in no mood to deal with Neptune (in Pisces), ignoring his habit of confusing all manner of communications and focus.
December 14 the New Moon (new beginnings) Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius is noteworthy for several reasons, one being that it is positioned closely to the Galactic Center. This is seen as a gateway connecting us to Cosmic energies and other dimensions. Mercury (Sag) and Mars (Aries), in their enthusiasm, are lending us support as we continue to open up to what is presently beyond our ken. The Sabin Symbol states “A bluebird perched on the gate of a cottage: The reward which meets every effort at integration into a social environment for those who remain true to there own selves. . .The bluebird is a well-known symbol of happiness, but also it refers to what one might call a spiritually oriented mind…”
December 15 Venus (in Scorpio )joins forces with Saturn (in Cap) to share their realistic guidance as we entertain new career possibilities. Almost immediately, she slides into Sagittarius, opening her arms to adventurous, diverse relationships. For us, this plays out with our desiring to enlarge our circle of friends and, perhaps, find romance.
December 16 Saturn enters humanitarian Aquarius and the 19th, Jupiter follows suit. These are the planets associated with the state of our society and they are preparing to meet to initiate a new era, acting as intermediaries who set generational patterns. Jupiter represents our philosophy and where we find life’s meaning, whereas, Saturn defines our commitment to the well-being of the collective and our ethics. When they support each other, we have a framework from which vision may be realized. This Great Conjunction takes place the 21st.
In the meantime, the 19th, the Sun and Mercury (in Sag) inspire us to connect with influences beyond our comprehension, encouraging us to release patterns which restrict our entertaining new, uncharted ways of perceiving what surrounds us. The 20th, Mercury switches gears and enters pragmatic Capricorn so our thoughts turn to how to implement what has merely seemed promising.
Capricorn by Josephine Wall
December 21 is the Big Event with the Sun entering Capricorn, the Winter Solstice, even as Jupiter and Saturn conjoin in Aquarius, bringing in a new era in which, for the span of 200 years, the two giants will always meet in Air Signs. We’re just exiting a 200 year period when Earth Signs prevailed. The Earth era has manifested in a Physical Mode (the Industrial and Scientific Revolutions) and we’ve already gotten a taste of what the Air (Mental) holds in store as Tech has become dominant in our lives. This is very exciting as long as we remember the saying that “the mind is a wonderful servant be a terrible master” and our hearts are where wisdom lies.
December 24 Mercury (in Cap) shares happy Christmas Eve cheer with innovative UranusRx (in Taurus) encouraging us to get beyond our comfort zone and welcome changes that are in store. Taking into consideration the emphasis now placed on everything Aquarius, this may refer to the increased emphasis on humanitarian causes and how our efforts may contribute to them. The 27th, the Sun and UranusRx get in the spirit of fun (Christmas, Kwanzaa?) and send us a message of reassurance that we really are able to grow and adjust to what the future holds. Let’s make sure we don’t succumb to self-criticism.
December 29th, this is particularly important since the Full Moon (culmination) is in watery, sensitive Cancer. This sign is ruled by the Moon (our emotions and needs) and is associated with home and family. Our ability to give attention to these areas of our lives has been sorely challenged. The Sun in Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, represents our role in the world which is also in a state of flux. Finding time for stillness helps us escape unwanted, intrusive stimulation and is calming. We need calm!
December 31 the Moon enters Leo which bodes well for a festive New Year’s Eve as we say adieu to an extremely strange chapter in our history. We’ve made it this far and are not alone so Congratulations to Us!
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND LOVE
