Current Transits for December 2009 Current Transits for December 2009Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Uranus Direct Station at 22Pi42, 12-1
Full Moon at 10Gm15, 12-2
Jupiter Conjunct Chiron, 12-7
Pallas enters Scorpio, 12-10
Jupiter Semisextile Uranus, 12-12
New Moon at 24Sa39, 12-16
Juno enters Aries, 12-19
Mars Retrograde Station at 19Le41, 12-20
Ceres enters Sagittarius, 12-20
Jupiter Conjunct Neptune, 12-21
Mercury Retrograde Station at 21Cp47, 12-26
Chiron Semisextile Uranus, 12-30
Full Moon / Partial Lunar Eclipse at 10Cn14, 12-31
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
After the relative doldrums of November, this month appears to have more spunk and energy. However, it's basically the same cast of characters on the stage. Jupiter is moving away from being in league with Saturn and Pluto and is reestablishing a connection with Chiron, Neptune and Uranus, the "Neptune knot", as I've been calling it. After some low activity the last month or two, the knot is back -- all 4 of the "big aspects" in December are from this group. In fact, most of these aspects are finishing up their cycles of 3 contacts, so the knot is reaching a climax of sorts (though it is by no means completely over yet). Some potent cycles of growth and change are coming to fruition. The second main theme this month involves Mars joining in with the Saturn-Pluto square that began several weeks ago. This trio of very challenging planets is putting us through a difficult and unpleasant reality check. The trouble here is most people are oblivious that the source of the problem ultimately comes from within. It's not a matter of "events out there" blind siding us, even though that's how most people interpret their troubles. "Suck it up!" is not the advice you want to hear. It could get messy when Mars stands still on the 20th. There are several other stories worth mentioning. For starters, the second full moon on the 31st is also a lunar eclipse, an intriguing omen for the new year. And for the more contemplative of you, Dec 18 is the annual conjunction of the Sun with the Galactic Center. Whenever I've tuned into this time period the last few years, I've always been struck by the unearthly mood of this time, a sense of suspending and moving beyond the mundane world, if only for a day or two. In short, December is a busy time and we've got a lot to talk about. Keep a good attitude and pace yourself...
Unlike November, we have plenty of planetary news this month to keep us busy. That includes 4 "big aspects", all within the Neptune knot family, 3 planets at their stations, 3 asteroids changing signs and an eclipse.
Uranus reaches its direct station of 22Pi42 on the 1st, ending a 5 month retrograde cycle that began with its station at 26Pi37 back on 7-1. Uranus is a planet of surprises, so this station could play out in any number of ways. First of all, Uranus rules the intuition and the Higher Mind, the play of thoughts and imagery that isn't bound by the limitations of language or the stories we tell ourselves (which is more the lower Mercury mind). These are the gut-level instincts that let us size up a situation quickly when there's no time to sort out all the arguments in a more leisurely fashion. Of course, sometimes the instincts can be totally off the mark as well, especially when Uranus is standing still or backing up. Trusting your intuition, while normally good advice, may backfire on you now. When you have one of those "aha!" moments, take another minute to decide whether it's actually wisdom and insight or just a flaky idea that shouldn't be trusted. People frequently confuse their thoughts and inner experience with outer reality, not realizing that the inner life isn't always a faithful rendition of the world. Our brains are making up "reality" every moment of our lives and sometimes we get things terribly wrong. Make allowances for these misunderstandings and don't believe everything you think. Maybe that's a bit paranoid, but many spiritual traditions say the same thing and it sure makes life more bearable. When Uranus finally gets moving again, reality will settle down once more. Be patient with yourself...
Intuitively, I get a good feeling from the first full moon chart (there's a lot of fire and air planets in it), but it's hard to say why. As we'll see with all the charts this month, there's the Neptune knot, the Pluto group and everything else. It looks like Mercury joins forces with Neptune and company, while Venus is on the outskirts of Pluto's circle. Curiously, the Sun and Moon are off by themselves, except for a strong quintile from the Sun to the heart of the knot planets.
In terms of the ping-pong match between the outer planets, the Neptune peaks seem stronger, but most of the aspects this week go Pluto's way -- it's a pretty close competition for our attention. That quintile from the Sun to Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune intrigues me. Quintiles are often a wild card, an aspect that operates in a peculiar way that transcends our usual good/bad ideas. They tend to look at problems from a whole new perspective. The situation that appeared as difficult suddenly looks like no big deal, even though the only thing that has changed is our point of view. Neptune tends to dissolve the strong ego boundaries that the Sun is busy putting up, so maybe simply setting aside your typical personal assumptions for awhile is enough space to make things look different. Your mental life may be more active than usual, so if the Muse moves you, express your ideas somehow. In part that comes with Uranus' direct station on the 1st -- intuition is in overdrive. Just remember that when the unconscious mind is stirred up like this, the ego (the conscious part that calls itself "I") is in the passenger seat, not the driver. There's a lot of creativity bursting to come out, so give it a chance.
Jupiter is conjunct Chiron on the 7th at 21Aq57. This is the last of 3 such contacts. The previous contacts were back on May 23 and July 22. This conjunction is part of the Neptune knot phenomenon, so you have to bring in other outer planets to fully appreciate what's happening here. Also, conjunctions are the start of new cycles revealing how these two planets affect our lives, a cycle that lasts until 2023. Chiron represents a part of yourself that remains hidden or protected, a part that others seem not to approve of or understand. We hide parts of ourselves in the psychic closet in order to appear more normal and acceptable to other people, but in the process we slowly die a little each time. In this case, it's Jupiter whose wings are clipped. Jupiter is your ability to reach out to the world and join in the fun, but such acceptance comes with a price. You have to fit in and play by the rules, adopting a more conventional way of expressing yourself that makes it easier to relate to others. But with each interaction, a bit of your individuality and uniqueness gets buried. Particularly if you pursue any type of spiritual wisdom or higher knowledge (another Jupiter gift), you find yourself at odds with the conventional mind. These days, that's a good thing -- if you haven't noticed, the conventional mind is borderline crazy lately. Feel free to break out of the mold and leave the past behind -- it's part of a larger breakthrough we're going through.
Pallas moves into Scorpio on the 10th for an extended stay. Due to an upcoming retrograde cycle, she will be in this sign until 2010-10-7, a 10 month stay. Pallas is often portrayed as a woman who is too much in her head and rather cut off from her feelings. This is not likely to be the case when she's traveling through Scorpio, perhaps the most passionate of the zodiac signs. This placement focuses our attention on the deeper side of the psyche where the rational mind is not supreme. Given the length of this stay, we apparently have some important lessons to master when it comes to bringing the head and heart together.
Jupiter is semisextile Uranus on the 12th, the last of 3 such contacts. The first two contacts were last spring, on May 19 and June 30. Here's an aspect this is made to shake up your thinking and give you a new perspective on life. Jupiter is your more predictable, conventional styles of thinking, while Uranus is anything but. He makes you see things from a fresh angle, sharpening your intuitive perception and shaking you loose from the past. Uranus also speeds things up markedly, especially where science, technology or computers and communications are involved. Since this cycle began in 1997, our mental lives have sped up considerably and gotten more complicated as well. Granted, much of it is simply over stimulation and hype for its own sake, serving no real purpose except to distract us. All this mental horsepower is worthless if it serves no good purpose. Perhaps as we approach the end of this cycle and start the next (2010-6-8 is the next Jupiter-Uranus conjunction), we'll think about how to use our minds more wisely, not just more quickly. It takes time -- the human mind doesn't evolve all in one leap...
The chart for the new moon is quite spectacular and not just because we're coming off a low Koz Alert. The Sun and Moon are in a tight sextile to the Neptune planets, while Venus is trine Mars and hence softening the Pluto energies a bit. Mercury is virtually isolated (only 105 units of strength and 100 of them come from Mercury itself), the only major planet to be left out.
If you're mainly tuning into the Neptune side of the story, this is a highly stimulating time mentally and spiritually. It's hard not to have some kind of "aha!" moment of temporary enlightenment this week. If anything, the challenge is to keep your feet on the ground with so much high energy buzz going on. Don't forget that the new moon is stimulating the Galactic Center point (26Sa59), another portal to other planes. On the other hand, the Pluto crew is more than happy to burst your cosmic bubble if you get too far from earth. Get used to being "up there" and "down here" simultaneously -- a neat trick if you can do it. At least Venus will tone down this harsher energy some. Adding the Venus touch could make for some interesting interactions if you're in a love relationship -- there's a lot of "sizzle" here waiting to burst out. It might be useful to put some of these experiences into words in a week or so, but not now. The thinking mind is definitely offline this week, so don't expect your story to make much sense to anyone else. Enjoy the ride!
Juno moves from Pisces into Aries on the 19th. She will be in this sign until 2010-2-23, when she moves into Taurus. Juno has been dancing back and forth across the border between Pisces and Aries for some time now, ever since first entering this sign back on July 2. For people who are sensitive to her vibrations, Juno has been stirring up relationships in some very chaotic ways. She's been blowing hot and cold, first aggressive and looking out for number one, then disappearing into a mood of "yes, dear!" to the point of nearly merging with the wallpaper. Both these approaches to relating are extreme caricatures, totally nonviable in the long run. The trick is to find the sweet spot that combines the best of each approach. Partners seem to get along best when they come to the relationship strong and whole within themselves, but willing to move beyond their own boundaries and include the other wholeheartedly. Aries supports a strong individuality, so that should be the easy part. Don't be so "me first!" that you keep others out of your life. After all, what Juno wants most is to be loved and in love. Being overly self-centered in love is actually self-defeating. Work out the details now -- it'll make Juno in Taurus so much more fun.
Mars reaches his retrograde station of 19Le41 on the 20th, about to start 4 months of reverse motion. This cycle lasts until 2010-3-10, when Mars hits his direct station of 0Le17. When a planet backs up in the sky, it typically means the problem areas with expressing this energy are coming up to be addressed. With Mars, the original action figure of our solar system, you may find you want to get something done, but then all sorts of gotchas get in the way. Your ability to express your willpower and make changes in the physical world hit some unexpected speed bumps. It can be annoying and downright frustrating at times. Be careful -- Mars is known for his temper and he is rarely effective when he's out of control. First bit of advice: Keep your ego out of the picture. Leo is sometimes imagined as the young ego, not quite sure of himself, but certainly putting on a good show. Looking good can get in the way of doing a good job, particularly when things are going badly. Stop, take a deep breath, and try to figure out what the problem is. Unless you change your approach, you're not going to be effective. Keep refining your technique, working smarter and with more discipline. If you can get good results the next few months, there's nothing that can stop you when Mars goes direct again.
Ceres enters Sagittarius on the 20th. She will remain here until she moves into Capricorn on 2010-3-19. Among other themes, Ceres is your support system, the network of people that help you prosper in this world, as well as the people you in turn assist. In Sag, Ceres is reaching out to the world far and wide, feeling open to receiving support from others. This is in marked contrast to the more cramped style of Ceres in Scorpio, where fears of emotional vulnerability can limit your connections. Expand your point of view, keeping an open mind about who and where help comes from (you can be surprised!). Similarly, be more open and free about giving a helping hand or word of advice when it's appropriate. Freedom is sweet music to Sagittarius, the result of limitations left behind...
Jupiter is conjunct Neptune on the 21st at 24Aq17, also the final contact of 3. The earlier contacts were on May 27 and July 10. Conjunctions spell the end of one cycle between planets (this one going back to early 1997) and the start of a new one (lasting until 2022). So rather than affecting just the last 6-7 months, this conjunction is more a preview of some influences over the next 13 years. There's a marked spiritual, even mystical side to this aspect. While Jupiter tends toward the more conventional ways of dealing with spiritual matters (including most traditional religious paths), Neptune is more of an esoteric path. Especially this year, when we're learning how to work with Neptune at a much deeper level than ever before, it's important to "part the veil" of your traditional path and see the more subtle picture lying behind it. Much of an established religion is a social construct, the stories and experiences that a people agrees on as their explanation of the world, both the material and the spiritual planes. Stories are nice and serve important roles in our lives, but they are no substitute for a direct experience of spirit in your life and the universal connections that tie you to everything else. Neptune knows no boundaries and can reach out to the world to attract all sorts of lessons to you for your spiritual growth. His magic can be rather spooky at times, with people and events perfectly mirroring back to you all your problem spots. A lack of vision and imagination is the biggest blockage these days. Pay attention to these uncanny moments -- you'll be revisiting these same themes for many years to come...
Mercury reaches its retrograde station of 21Cp47 on the 26th, starting 3 weeks of reverse motion -- the dreaded Mercury Retrograde time! This cycle continues until the direct station of 5Cp33 on 2010-1-15. Actually, if you keep matters in perspective, these cycles are no big deal, despite their popular reputation. Mercury is the thinking, storytelling, symbol-using part of the psyche whose task is to make sense of the world and weave a story that enables you to navigate life's daily challenges. A world that makes sense ("fits the story") is a sane, predictable world, one that we feel safe moving around in. However, all creations of the mind fall short of the infinite complexity around us, so it's not too surprising that sometimes situations don't make sense. We stumble around, not really sure what to do, or worse, totally oblivious to our own cluelessness. That's when Mercury retrograde bites us. Keep in mind these coming weeks that your stories may not explain things well, your words may not convey your thoughts adequately, agreements may not actually produce a meeting of the minds. Above all, stand back in your mind from the endless stream of thoughts and images that flow through your awareness, controlling the way you interpret all your experiences, and realize that you are not that flow of mental chatter. This deeper you is beyond all your words, free from your stories. This is all part of the spiritual freedom we are discovering this year. Besides, the mental flow seems much more amusing when viewed from this detached perspective. Ultimately, the thinking mind is a tool, not the master. Don't get sucked in by your own narrative.
Chiron is semisextile Uranus on the 30th for the 3rd of 23 contacts lasting from early 2009 to 2038 (!). Due to the complexities of Chiron's orbit, the contacts of this aspect come in 3 big waves of activity: 2009-2011, 2016-2021 and 2036-2038. It's still really early in the cycle (we aren't even halfway through the first wave), so it's not surprising that we don't have a good grasp of how it is affecting us yet. Chiron and Uranus both have a bit of the Trickster in them, so even our best guess now will likely be confounded later on. Of course, this is one of the knot aspects as well, so an easy assumption is that it's helping reveal a new spirituality of some kind, as well as sweeping away some of the fears and misunderstandings that so far have kept us operating on a lower psychic level. It may work in numerous little steps, each imperceptible in effect, but with a cumulative transformation that changes everything, particularly at the mental-intuitive level. We'll have to keep an eye on this aspect -- I think it's a bit of a sleeper. We've got time...
The lunar eclipse at year's end is one of the few times all December when the ping-pong match settles down and the two sides come together. The Sun-Moon axis of the eclipse manages to connect with both Neptune (a tight 45 degree aspect) and Pluto (a wide conjunction, with Venus in between). Curiously, all the asteroids are connected with Pluto's camp, a detail I'm still mulling over.
All the knot planets are closely aspecting the Sun and Moon, so in your quiet moments that lovely mystical energy is still coming through. However, this inspiring vibration is somewhat divorced from the rest of your everyday life. The Pluto side is coming through Venus and Mars, feeling and doing, love and willpower. Normally, astrologers tend to imagine Mars, Saturn and Pluto as all masculine energies (and difficult ones to boot), so it's intriguing that Venus and all 4 of the feminine asteroids are forming tight aspects to them, a kind of balancing of the yin and yang. Juno combines with Saturn and Pluto to form a tight T-square; the Moon makes it a wide Grand Cross and other common patterns are present also. There's a lot of dynamic, even stressful tension in this chart, but it really seems to be trying to balance and integrate all the conflicting tendencies we've felt all month. Maybe people will relax and unwind a little -- they've been crazy for a long time. As I said, an interesting omen to close out the year. See you in 2010!