December 2011

PLANET REPORT: The nicest thing about December, apart from three planets turning direct, is that the New Moon will occur at 07:08am on Christmas Day. Like a present lying wrapped under the tree full of potential and possibility, this practical Capricorn New Moon trines Jupiter in the sign of the Moon’s exaltation, Taurus, just as Jupiter itself turns direct. Jupiter has been travelling in apparent backward motion since late August but now that it has once again returned to - and will turn around at - the beginning of Taurus, we will be able to forge ahead in those areas that relate to our hopes for the future, especially on financial and material levels.

The seeds that were sown between June and late August can now grow to generous proportions if we have followed all the practical clues that have been strewn across our paths. If we have ignored the clues though, then we might find we have bitten off more than we can chew or that opportunities have passed us by. This phase gives us a second chance to give it all we’ve got. We have until June 2012 to make the most of the grounding energy of Taurus.

On the other side of the sky, Mercury, while in its detriment, is also in Jupiter’s sign and turns direct on the 14th – shortly after revolutionary Uranus also turns direct. Up until the 14th, while we need to prepare for the festive season, we need to keep in mind that life is in a state of flux and that what we thought were plans set in concrete suddenly turn to mush. This phase will take skilful planning and sidestepping around unusual and sometimes crazy developments. The whoosh of energy from the 10th-14th though creates a lovely window in time to examine, ponder, philosophise about and sketch a broad outline for 2012.

There is no rush though because Mars’ unusually long journey through detail-oriented Virgo during the first half of 2012 will be a painstaking, perfection-seeking, almost pedantic experience. Mars normally operates on full speed, barely slowing down to give way when obstacles stand in the way, however on January 24th Mars will come to an apparent standstill and then begin a languorous journey back through the skies until April 14th when he resumes forward direction.

As December gives way to January, between January and April, we need to be prepared to shilly-shally and stumble through events that don’t appear to make sense at first glance. We need to proceed with much more caution and diligence than usual. Look at life events, projects and ideas with an appraising eye – let the critic within come forth – and avoid making a move until all the details are in place (probably not until after April). Pay solid attention to detail despite the urge to throw caution to the wind as the holiday festivities begin. We may be plagued by a vague sense of unease if we leave important facts and figures till later.

It’s a tall ask but because Mercury is out of action until December 14th, if we can squeeze in as much activity as we can into that last week before Christmas, we will certainly feel much better having tied up as many loose threads as possible. Keep all receipts for gifts as Mercury is notorious for items not working properly or for giving the same gifts as others. Avoid big ticket expenditure until after the 14th as well!

The Full Moon of the 11th is a total lunar eclipse in the sign of communications and general movement of mind and body, Gemini. It’s a balance between delicate emotions and razor sharp thoughts and we might find ourselves spoiling the festive cheer by over-reacting. A highly strung energy, try to slow down and think carefully before saying or doing anything.

The Solstice occurs when the Sun travels into Capricorn on the 22nd at 6:31pm.  

ARIES: With Uranus turning around in your sign and your ruler, Mars, going off air on January 24th, the period after December 14th represents a great window in time to get your spiritual, physical and emotional housework completed before the energy turns into something more complicated. On the Boxing Day, Jupiter turns around in your finance zone and the things in life that you value best of all. Something that began last June can now move into the next phase and once the New Moon occurs on Christmas Day, you will gain a whole new perspective. Work on health and your well-being over 2012 as that is one area that will be in the spotlight in the first six months. Mercury retrograding in your long distances, academia, publishing and beliefs sector will throw up a few spanners that clog the wheels of progress but inspite of this, you will gain a good perspective on what to strive for in 2012.

TAURUS: Jupiter turns around in your sign on Boxing Day and what a wonderful gift to begin 2012 with. Between then and June, you will be handed all the opportunities in the world to stretch yourself further than ever before. Somehow, it is a lot easier to achieve, expand and grow when Jupiter is in one’s own sign, but it does require effort and a willingness to your roll sleeves up and pitch in. Your ruler, Venus, moves into Aquarius on the 21st and this brings out the quirkiness in other people who are unable to commit to long term strategies with you. As hard as it is to understand, give them space to think and do their own thing. From January 24th, you will enter into strange but productive period in the area of romance, children and spare time activities. There is something about one or all of these areas that requires a perfectionist’s touch. Working on the small details is where you will make a breakthrough so that by July, a child, a lover or a hobby has been thoroughly dealt with or plotted out.

GEMINI: It may feel as if life is conspiring against you but it’s really just a build up of planetary energy that needs expression. For a start, your ruler Mercury is retrograde in your opposite sign Sagittarius. This instantly creates a communication issue or of thoughts that run counter to other people’s ideas. It will pay to be flexible but not so flexible that plans, projects and proposals run into chaos later on due to the lack of cohesion. The eclipse in your sign at Full Moon on the 11th suggests steering away from delicate subjects that are likely to cause words to fly. This is a very sensitive time and hair-trigger reactions are on the rise as the month wears on. Luckily, Jupiter is turning around in an area that suggest inner tranquillity and of having worked on issues that could be hotspots at any other time. Expand yourself intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically so that you can pass through difficulties with barely a flinch.

CANCER: The second half of December is always a tricky time for Crabs as this is the half-way point of your solar year and is usually a time of low vitality. It’s lucky for you that you get to experience this in your own time and at your own pace away from the pressure of your working life. Since you are ruled by the Moon, the lunar eclipse on the 11th also suggests that emotions are going be a fragile balancing act but that by the New Moon on Christmas Day, you will be ready to make resolutions and plans for 2012. It’s great that Jupiter is returning to life on Boxing Day after being out of action since late August. For you this represents a solid opportunity to return to a project or idea that you started developing between June and August. This could be a situation with a friend, band or team mate, or someone who orbits in your social activities. It could also relate to personal dreams and hopes that are distinct from your professional life. It may be time to dust down those old goals. What is there in the back of your life that can be revived and examined in 2012? Watch out for Uranus bearing unexpected gifts on a professional level around the 10th.

LEO: With super Jupiter turning around at the top of your chart on Boxing Day, you can be forgiven for continuing to think about your professional and public life long after everyone has logged off for the year. There are amazing things to look forward to once the year commences as far as your career, trade or job is concerned. This area also relates to one’s mother so for others it could be a parental issue that will soon move into the next phase. Startling developments may also occur when you log on. It could be something like a new website, blog or e-book that you have been working on that will also go through unexpected changes. Having said all that, if peace is what you are after this holiday period, then it looks like you may have to defer your time off! Mars is going to be looping around in your financial zone from January 24th so this is a good month to think ahead and use your coin wisely. You may decide to take on the services of a professional book-keeper or accountant where previously there hadn’t been any need. Whichever way, it’s the balancing of books that will matter in the first six months of 2012.

VIRGO: Mars continues to move through your sign ploughing up the turf so that you can plant seeds after April 2012. His extended stay in Virgo is going to have a big impact on a lot of signs but Gemini, Sag, Virgo and Pisces in particular will be feeling the heat, and this means beginning the year in a cautious fashion. Lucky for you that you have Jupiter on your side turning direct on Boxing Day as this will give you a cushion to fall back on when the obstacles and challenges start to appear from January 24th. In the meantime, you also have to contend with your ruler Mercury being retrograde until December 14th and a lunar eclipse on the 11th – both of these factors impact on the same signs. This suggests a highly strung energy that requires inner calm to deal with. Other people are likely to push buttons and create waves but if you know what is happening, you can keep the stress at bay by not reacting.

LIBRA: Across from your sign Uranus turns direct on the 10th and this rush of energy will create surprising waves and ripples within important one to one relationships. Unexpected developments that will take issues that began last July to the next phase could catch you off-guard if you haven’t been keeping watch on the undercurrents. This could spell a make or break time, but it could also mean that there is much more space to live and love. Some things are not as unexpected as they seem so in some respects you will know deep down that this is the way it should be. You have so much going on in your inner life that will take until next July to work through that you could be quite happy to retreat into your inner sanctum. There is a lot of work to be done but as early as April you will feel much healthier spiritually, mentally, intellectually and physically. People and events from the past may also come back, either into your consciousness or literally, and it will be surprising how strong their hold has been. The New Moon on Christmas Day could mean that a domestic issue finally resolves itself.

SCORPIO: As with Aries, your shared ruler, Mars, is going to do a series of backward flips in Virgo between January 24th and April 14th suggesting an unusually long phase of analysing, critiquing and restructuring that will last until July. Virgo is an intellectual sign that is concerned with the health of wherever it is situated in one’s chart, and this means that your world of friendships, acquaintances, club and team chums will be up for scrutiny in one way or another. This area also relates to your personal hopes and wishes that are distinct from your career and it may well be time to draw up a new game plan that will make you feel much better on an inner level. It could also be that the health of a friend brings out the nurse within you, or you may embark on a get fit regime where you encourage each other to reach your goals. On Boxing Day, Jupiter turns around in your opposite sign Scorpio launching important relationships to another level. Something that was evident last June but then faded into the background will come forward with gusto.

SAGITTARIUS: You will be pleased to know that your ruler Jupiter is on the move on December 26th. In June, it moved into a new sign, Taurus, heralding a new phase in work and health for all Archers. However, in late August things slowed right down when Jupiter went retrograde. As 2012 opens, life is once again humming along in the right direction. Mercury is also in your sign and retrograde as December opens but from the 14th it will also be travelling in a straight line. From then, you have a brilliant opportunity to get your working life back into order, clear the desks for the New Year as well as renew your vitality and take steps to increase your wellbeing. This is definitely a month to make resolutions and prepare a flexible plan because by January 24th Mars in Virgo will loop around in your career zone bringing delays and challenges that will help you create the perfect game plan in the long run. The Full Moon on the 11th is a lunar eclipse in your opposite Gemini in your zone of relationships. This brings sensitivity to all communications that can easily get lost in translation. Keep as cool as a cucumber and try to think about issues before reacting.

CAPRICORN: Happy birthday Capricorn folk! There’s a lovely New Moon in your sign smack bang on Christmas Day at 07:08am and that’s when your New Year will officially start. In a lovely aspect to Jupiter, there are hidden opportunities that will reveal themselves as 2012 kicks in. Children, romance or sports or leisure time activities are in the spotlight so make the most of it. Before that though, Mercury is off air and creating all kinds of mayhem in communication until December 14th. In your zone of confidential and private matters, there is something about the conversations you have with others that draws out your inner thoughts and you need to be prepared to think before you speak. Sudden changes in domestic arrangements may strike around the 10th. Mars will be looping around in your zone of travel, academia and publishing from January 24th and this suggests that time and energy needs to be placed on these areas right up until July 2012.

AQUARIUS: If you are selling, buying or moving house, your best opportunities may come over the Christmas/New Year period. This is when super Jupiter turns around in your home zone amping everything up to the next level. As December begins, use the time up until the 14th to research lifestyle changes in as much detail as possible so that when Jupiter moves forward you are in a strong position to re-launch yourself. There’s a tendency in the first two weeks for communications to become confused and this means we need to double check everything and take extra care with documents and information. In the longer term, Mars is staying for much longer than he usually does in any given area in our charts, for you he will be looping around in your zone of business, finance or property matters that you have in common with other people. Take your time and check everything and everyone out thoroughly.   

PISCES: December is a sensitive month for Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Piscean folk. With Mercury creating stress within our thought patterns, and a lunar eclipse in Gemini on the 11th, it won’t be until the latter part of the month that you will be able to sink into enjoying the holiday period. It’s hard to think straight in the first two weeks of December, and even harder to get straight answers from others, so there’s a real need to slow right down and think carefully in areas that can’t be put off. Your ruler Jupiter turns direct on Boxing Day and this gift from heaven is a solid base from which to spring into 2012. On January 24th, Mars reaches a pivotal point in a phase that will last until July 2012. Carving out the way in key relationships, other people will play a large part in your affairs in the coming months. Agreements and discussions will need to be examined and re-examined many times before a decision can be reached. Take your time and realise that criticism is sometimes a defence mechanism.