Planetary news this week: Sagittarius New Moon and Mercury turns retrograde
Astrological update for the week of December 11-18, 2023
The Macro picture. In life, it seems, there is always a macro view as well as the micro view and the same is true for astrological forecasts. For example, this week the planetary influences are pretty mild and benign, and yet the global situation is rather treacherous. Global conflicts are on the rise, and here in the U.S. we are bracing for a particularly contentious election.
Every time Pluto changes signs (every 15-20 years) there is a dramatic global change of some kind. […]
This New Moon in Sagittarius brings with it an opportunity to begin a new adventure. The New Moon is a fresh new start – the heart (Moon) unites with the conscious intent (Sun) to forge a new direction, and in Sagittarius the sky is the limit. Sagittarius governs travel, whether travel of the mind and the heart, or of the body through space and time. This is a time to expand and seek a new experience that opens up our hearts and souls to greater magic and wonder than we ever 
Art by Sally J. Smith, from Silver Rockets. The New Moon occurred a few hours ago, but we are still in its influence for the next day or two. Although astronomically this is technically a partial eclipse, because the lunation was 12 degrees away from the Nodes of the Moon, that is a bit too far to have much astrological impact.
