Current Transits for December 1997 Current Transits for December 1997Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Vesta Direct Station at 16Ar31, 12-2
Mercury Retrograde, 12-7 to 12-27
Full Moon at 22Gm08, 12-13
Saturn Direct Station at 13Ar32, 12-16
Mars enters Aquarius, 12-18
Venus conjunct Mars at 3Aq37, 12-22
Venus Retrograde Station at 3Aq56, 12-26
New Moon at 8Cp01, 12-29
December has a split personality. The first part of it is slow and sluggish, with little astrological "action" to report. The last 9 or 10 days, however, are a strong planetary storm pattern that closes out the year with a bang. Fortunately, it's the holiday season, which should make the rough going a bit easier to handle. There's an overall sense of stagnation (similar to the one in October) going on, forcing us to go over old ground that we probably thought we were already done with. Notice that we're scheduled for a crucial change in energy at the end of January '98 (when Neptune leaves Capricorn and moves into Aquarius), so this "cleaning up loose ends" is most likely just what we need to be doing. It's also important to gradually shift your perspective upward, especially if you've become overly materialistic or earthbound in your point of view. Such views are quite out of sync with coming developments.
December is a textbook example of a stagnant month -- lots of planets standing still or in reverse motion, and very few aspects between planets. Since aspects are the "fuel" of astrological influence, this is a low octane month, hence the sluggish feeling. Also, with any stationary planet, some situation is crawling to a halt. Some readjustment or change in approach needs to be made, or some lesson must be realized, before any forward movement can continue. In many ways, December resembles the October logjam we experienced recently.
The first body to stand still is Vesta, when she reaches her direct station on the 2nd. Vesta's main lesson is one of integrity, of being faithful to yourself and what you stand for. Fidelity to oneself is a commodity that is frequently tested in everyday life, where the temptation to "slide through life" often gets the best of us. Vesta went into reverse motion on Aug. 29 -- since then, your reliance on your inner strength has been continually tested. It may have been necessary to withdraw from the world, turning inward, as it were, in order to nurture your inner strength and birth something new within you. It's vital to realize that your true power comes from the spirit that is trying to express itself through your mundane life. Unless you remain completely faithful to this spirit and its calling, you are simply sabotaging your higher self. You took on this life for a reason, so why not simply do what you came here to do? It's the only way to honor the deepest parts of your being. This situation is coming to a head now. Soon, it will be time to move outward, again. Presumably, the lessons you've learned these last few months will come in handy as you begin a new period of outer activity.
The next one of those infamous Mercury retrograde periods starts on the 7th (when Mercury stands still at 3Cp21) and lasts until the 27th (direct station of 17Sa04). Mercury is the thinking, symbol-using part of the mind, what I sometimes jokingly call the "monkey mind." When Mercury changes into reverse gear, the thinking mind goes haywire, causing that old monkey to fall out of his tree. The big problem for this part of the psyche is that it's responsible for making sense of the world (for survival reasons, if nothing else!). Unfortunately, it invariably takes this responsibility too seriously. We construct inner maps and models of the outer world using words, pictures, symbols, myths, etc., and then forget these maps are not the real world, they are just a representation. We come to "believe in" the stories we made up, having misguided faith that now we comprehend reality. Alas, reality is always more complicated than any symbol system can capture -- the monkey mind always falls short. Most of the time he gets away with his ruse (monkeys can be very clever). But when Mercury is retrograde, the world outwits our best stories. Our explanations of the world simply don't match reality. This leads to inner confusion and botched up communications between people as the inner maps lead us down false paths. The best use of Mercury retrograde times is to probe the inner world, find its weaknesses, correct its misconceptions. It's a great time to "debug" our personal symbol systems and belief structures (and a lousy time for heavy-duty intellectual work). Anyway, the thinking mind is out to lunch almost the entire month, so don't rely on anything as gospel truth now. If you make any plans, double check them in a few weeks before acting on them (you'll be surprised at some of your boner ideas). Better still, give the thinking mind a vacation...
We seem to be stuck now, unsure of the right direction to be going. It's a time to question the same old way of doing things, looking for new ways that reflect more fully who we really are. It's curious that Neptune, the dreamer and romantic, is nestled between Venus and Mars now. Neptune is the Higher Heart, the spirit of compassion and unconditional loving -- we need to open our hearts to partners in a totally fearless and unguarded fashion if we are truly going to transform these relationships. Granted, it's hard to set aside all the old hurts and insults we've endured in life in order to embrace this kind of freedom, but this hanging on to old blockages is the only thing holding us back right now. It takes courage and insight to see past our blocks to the spirit-filled life just beyond our grasp, but this spirit is our true self. Practice optimism, even when the solutions to life's problems aren't apparent, since the world has a way of presenting doors to us that weren't visible before. Look beyond your problems, not at them -- the change in perspective is often all that is needed to make things shift.
Saturn is also standing still on the 16th (at 13Ar32) after a long retrograde cycle. Saturn, the head master at the School of Hard Knocks, has been backing up since Aug. 1, giving us time to take a good, hard look at some unsavory material in our lives. Ultimately, he's about taking responsibility for our lives and actions, making sure we take care of all the details properly. We all like to dream big and want the best, but actually working for it is another matter. To be successful and productive in this world, you must "play the game" by the rules already in place. Whether we like the idea or not, our lives -- just the way they are, no more, no less -- are really the only game in town. It doesn't accomplish anything to simply wish things were different. In fact, fully accepting life as is for your starting point is the only way to make progress on your dreams and hopes. You may be noticing some uncomfortable situations going on now, some place where you're trying to avoid taking care of the nuts and bolts of daily living. Saturn will not allow you to wiggle free of your responsibilities when it's standing still like this. Either you face up to the task or you fail in your quest -- he's quite uncompromising that way. It's a time to settle down and get serious. As this demanding energy starts to lift in the new year, you'll see the benefits of working in such a disciplined manner.
Mars leaves the sign of Capricorn and enters Aquarius on the 18th, where it will reside until Jan 25th. While Capricorn is settled and disciplined, Aquarius adds an erratic and unpredictable element to Mars energy. This is not the best time to focus on mundane tasks, since your interests are more drawn towards the unusual and off-beat. It also favors intellectual or "blue-sky" work over the more physical, since Aquarius is more of a dreamer or visionary than a blue-collar worker. Even if you're involved in activities that are out of the ordinary for you, be certain it reflects something within you that doesn't often get a chance to come out, since Mars is all about self-expression. It's also a time to connect with others of a like mind and start group activities that amplify your own actions.
The extended love affair of Venus and Mars that began in October reaches another milestone on the 22nd, when they repeat their conjunction contact for the 2nd of 3 times. Normally, Venus zips right by the slower Mars, but this time Mars is plodding ahead as Lady Venus slows to a halt after Christmas. This entire 9 month period (from 10-26 to 98-8-4) is a time to reconnect with partners in close relationships, discovering what is working between you and where the blocks are that keep the love from flowing. You may experience some friction with your partners over the holidays. However, instead of quarreling or playing out the usual power games with each other, step back and examine what the real issues are. This is a good time to take a dispassionate look at the problems and rephrase the questions so they make more sense. We usually think of Venus-Mars contacts as being very romantic (since Venus equals love, while Mars is sex/passion), but Aquarius imposes a certain amount of emotional distance and coolness. Don't interpret this distance as rejection, however, it's simply a need (from both partners) to reassess matters before diving back in. Talk things over, without getting so personally involved in your own point of view that you quit listening to your partner. Use this time to explore deeper levels of being together.
Venus is the last planet to stand still. She's coming to a halt on the 26th, at 3Aq56, about to start one of her rare retrograde appearances. If Mercury is the thinking mind, Venus is about emotions, feelings, instincts, and gut-level attractions or repulsions. It's one thing for the thinking mind to go haywire, but when you go bonkers at this basic gut-level, things really get weird! Normally, we are guided in life to seek out the beautiful and harmonious, a instinctive attraction to what feels good that serves to satisfy our physical and emotional needs. When these instincts fail to function properly, all manner of odd-ball behavior is possible. In a nutshell, we're attracted to all the wrong things and people when Venus is retrograde. It's a difficult time to acquire things on their aesthetic appeal, or to start new relationships (especially romantic ones) -- you may regret your choices in a few months. If you find yourself attracted to out of the ordinary things, or repelled by the old standbys in your life, it may well be a short-lived lapse of good taste. Don't back yourself into any corners you can't wiggle out of later; make sure to reevaluate your choices when Venus is moving forwards once more. This is a good period to experience how we make choices in some very irrational ways, sometimes undermining our happiness by pursuing it unthinkingly. New interests can open up to you during this time, even if the appeal fades quickly, as you experience parts of yourself that are normally hidden. Have fun!
It's encouraging to see the lunar month start off so solidly, even if the energy is falling away already. It gives us an important boost as we enter the new year. There's a very vital, though quirky, feeling to this chart. The "explosive" quality of the Mars-Uranus conjunction may need some taming, but basically the energy here says "I can do anything!" As with most of the patterns this month, relationships look to be tricky, especially now that Venus is in reverse motion. Be careful that the "cowboy" energy of Mars doesn't run roughshod over the people around you -- I guarantee it, sparks will fly! As momentous as the growth and change we experienced this year was, 1998 promises to take us to a yet higher level (especially with Neptune entering Aquarius in a month!) -- Uranus is already trying to shake up our lives, again. Work together in harmony with others instead of against them -- we all get more done that way and everyone wins. Mercury is now direct, so we are slowly getting our thinking minds back. Best wishes in the coming new year!