Astrological update for the week of December 18-25, 2023
Sun enters Capricorn at the Winter Solstice. The wheel of the seasons turn on the cardinal signs – the signs of initiation and leadership. The solstice occurs at the moment the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn, and this year that takes place on December 21st EST/ December 22nd UTC. This is also the first day of winter (in the northern hemisphere).
The solstices and equinoxes are portals of energy and mark the extremes and balance points of light and dark. At the December equinox the darkness prevails and the light is diminished. Capricorn is a cold sign, and in the northern hemisphere the December solstice occurs at the darkest time of year. The fields are dormant and nothing grows at this time of year, but the seeds of planning and self-awareness can be planted so that the fertile seasons of spring will bear abundant fruit. Although the Solstice is celebrated as the return of the light, that light will actually not appear for a few days after the Solstice making this time to dig deeply into the subconscious and corners of the spirit to find new inspiration.
Sun/Mercury conjunction. The chart for the December solstice includes a conjunction (inferior) of retrograde Mercury to the Sun, marking the midpoint of the retrograde cycle and a turning point. We have two different portals of adjustment here. Jupiter, planet of good fortune, trines both Sun and Mercury which is an extremely positive indicator of success right now, despite any retrograde glitches.
Traditional astrology has taught that the Sun conjunct, combust, or cazimi Mercury was a dangerous aspect. I have never seen Sun/Mercury aspects create problems in practice, and I notice that traditional and Hellenistic astrologers are backing off of this idea.
Mercury retrogrades back into Sagittarius. Mercury tiptoed into Capricorn, indicating clear thinking and solid goals and strategies, on December 1st but will retrograde back into Sagittarius on the 23rd. Where Capricorn is all about practical plans and schedules, Sagittarius relies more on optimism to face the future. I kind of like this back and forth of Mercury from Sagittarius to Capricorn, back to Sagittarius and then once more through Capricorn – Sagittarius provides the broad perspective and hopeful optimism to set the bar high, and Capricorn helps us to get it done. Mercury rules our ability to think clearly and communicate directly, and also is related to short distance travel and messaging equipment such as telephones and computers.
Sometimes glitches happen during retrograde Mercury times, but they are rarely fatal. For example this week I ordered a toaster oven and an air fryer was delivered. Frustrating, but I rarely let Mercury retrograde keep me from doing anything that I want to do.
Chiron turns direct. Chiron, planet of wounding and healing, has been virtually stationary throughout the month after a retrograde period, so if you (like me) are undergoing a Chiron transit (with planets between 10 and 20 degrees of the cardinal signs Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn) you may have been feeling particularly emotional. Or perhaps the healing process is working and you are feeling a release of old patterns which may have caused you to feel stuck. In any case, Chiron will begin to move on in January but until the Chiron experience of squeezing out the pus and poisons will continue to do its work. 🤩
My monthly forecast and random notes and inspiration are now available on Substack here.
Here’s what else you need to know this week (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, here is a time zone converter to adjust for your locality.)
Monday December 18. Communication flows freely today making this a great time for writers or anyone who uses their mind. In other words, pretty much everyone. The Pisces Moon plays nicely with Mercury which helps the release of creative juices too. (Moon sextile Jupiter 5:49 am, sextile Mercury 6:20 am, Mercury trine Jupiter 2:27 pm.)
Tuesday December 19. The Pisces Moon is quite active today, engaging with six other planets and the Sun. This can make for a day that feels quite up and down, with some stress just after midnight, turning into excitement around 5 am, maybe some confusion around 2 pm, a choice must be made around 6:30, and then some intensity of positive feelings around 9 pm (all EST).
This would be a bit of a rollercoaster no matter where the Moon is, but the Pisces Moon can sometimes feel confusing. This isn’t a great day to try to pinpoint a feeling or intention or really make a plan if you don’t have to. Once the Moon enters Aries Tuesday evening the way will seem more clear. (Moon trine Venus 12:29 am, square Mars 1:58 am, sextile Uranus 5:14 am, conjunct Neptune 2:07 pm, square Sun 6:39 pm, sextile Pluto 9:03 pm, Moon enters Aries 10:46 pm.)
Wednesday December 20. With the Moon in Mars-ruled Aries today, and only one tiny little lunar aspect early in the morning, this is a great day for just about anything. Two planetary aspects will be building Wednesday to culminate on Thursday that will bring in some excitement and improved ability to focus, so Wednesday could be a day to begin imagineering. (Moon square Mercury 5:42 am.)
Thursday December 21. The solstice! A time to ponder the changing of seasons and the return of the light.
Thursday morning brings some excitement and a bit of a thrill in our social life – a good time to breakfast with a new friend perhaps? We feel energized in the morning and our mental focus and communication abilities prevail in spite of the retrograde Mercury. Watch for a sign in the early afternoon that could have meaning for the future. (Moon conjunct Chiron 1:27 am, Venus opposite Uranus 7:04 am, Moon trine Mars 8:23 am, Mercury sextile Saturn 12:33 pm, Moon conjunct North Node 1:53 pm.)
Friday December 22. Friday brings some shifts in energies with both the Sun and Moon changing signs, and the Moon is quite busy as well. Most of the action happens before 7 am EST and by afternoon things will have settled down a bit especially since the Sun and Moon will have shifted into the Earth element: Sun in Capricorn trine Moon in Taurus.
Under the Taurus Moon we seek comfort and security and tend to be less active so you may want to plan for a relaxing day on Friday and the weekend. The Sun/Mercury conjunction occurs Friday which can bring good news and generally positive vibes. (Moon square Pluto 1:10 am, trine Sun
Saturday December 23. Mercury retrogrades back into Sagittarius today, offering an opportunity to clean up any unfinished business of a practical nature. The Taurus Moon craves a peaceful environment but that will be a little challenging for a few hours around noon. The remainder of Saturday is pretty serene with a burst of creativity in the evening. (Rx Mercury enters Sagittarius 6:17 am, Moon conjunct Uranus 1:33 pm, opposite Venus 7:03 pm, sextile Neptune 11:12 pm.)
Sunday December 24. The Moon leaves placid Taurus for Gemini Sunday morning EST, paving the way for heightened mental activity. Under the Gemini influence we tend to be busy filling our lives with a variety of experiences from which we learn more about how to be human. Meanwhile a solar aspect to Saturn shines the light on the path to success and is favorable for positive outcomes. (Moon trine Pluto 6:39 am, Moon enters Gemini 8:14 am, Moon square Saturn 12:58 pm, Sun sextile Saturn 5:28 pm.)
I hope you have a wonderful week! We are almost at the end of the year and I’m working diligently on my 2024 forecast which will be out soon so watch for that. 💖
Thank you for this column. It is wonderfully helpful and so clearly written. I appreciate your clarification about the Sun conjunct Mercury not being seen as too dangerous!
You’re so welcome Jen. I’m glad you found it helpful. 🥰
Thank you Lynn for sharing your expertise and insights each week. It is a significant amount of labor to post so much every week. Happy Holidays!
Hi Deborah, it is indeed! But during my sabbatical I discovered that I do it as much for myself as for my readers. 😍 Thanks for coming along for the ride.