Current Transits for December 2012 Current Transits for December 2012Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Ceres reenters Gemini, 12-4
New Moon at 21Sa44, 12-13
Uranus Direct Station at 4Ar36, 12-13
Sun Conjunct Galactic Center, 12-18
Juno enters Capricorn, 12-18
Jupiter Quincunx Pluto, 12-20
Winter Solstice 2012, 12-21 -- yep, that Winter Solstice.
Jupiter Quincunx Saturn, 12-22
Mars enters Aquarius, 12-25
Saturn Sextile Pluto, 12-26
Full Moon at 7Cn05, 12-28
Hindsight
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
Well, here we are at December of 2012 finally. The coming weeks carry a lot of baggage in the collective mind, a kind of mythology that has taken on a life of its own. The actual astrology of this month is probably more prosaic than the mythology, but the story is still fascinating. I must admit that I've looked at the chart for the solstice for many years and wasn't all that impressed, but the more intently I look at this time, the more I see. The key pattern this month is a pair of interlocking Yods. The first Yod is an incredibly tight orbed grouping of Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter, with 3 "big aspects" going off around the solstice. Uranus forms another Yod with Saturn and Jupiter, although the orbs aren't as tight and there's less activity in this one. Among the aspects tying these two Yods together is the revolutionary Uranus-Pluto square that began Jun 24. These are all deep acting outer planets working to remake society at many core levels, opening up the chance of putting the world on a saner path. The surface appearances of chaos and backsliding are a consequence of the breakdown of existing structures that have no future. Of course, the faster moving planets are going to make their own connections with this double Yod. As they come through one by one, these deeper influences are released into our everyday lives repeatedly. The last two weeks are especially prone to such changes, with the Yods ringing like a bell. The energies are building to a peak between the 15th and the 23rd, leveling off a bit after the solstice. This buildup period is an excellent time for personal breakthroughs, especially for the spiritually inclined, so put yourself into these energies wholeheartedly. The winter solstice is traditionally a time of rebirth, of the play of light and dark. Focus on inner spiritual influences and don't get hung up on all the doom and gloom stuff. If this is indeed the start of a new cycle, a rebirth of humanity, we might as well start out with our best stuff. Either way, these are holy-days, so get in the spirit...
All 3 of the "big aspects" in December relate to the primary Yod pattern that is active around the solstice. Uranus has an important direct station on the 13th. In addition, there are 3 sign changes, mostly of minor significance.
Ceres backs up from Cancer into Gemini on the 4th. Ceres will go direct on 2013-2-4 at 19Gm44, and will reenter Cancer on 2013-4-4. This retrograde cycle between Cancer and Gemini is rather paradoxical, as the influences of these signs are so different. Ceres in Cancer is Mothering in all ways and forms, a strong emotional connection with our children and other matters under our care. Gemini is more intellectual, light hearted and somewhat disengaged. It's as if we need to whipsaw between these two extreme positions before we come to an equilibrium. Perhaps this new placement most effects family relationships, causing us to reconsider the nature of our obligations to the next generation. For now, lighten up and don't get so wrapped up in emotional "what if" arguments over your behavior. This is also a time to explore the role of Teacher, to engender the intellectual curiosity of our charges through example and through lively dialogue. If you've got some mental work to finish up, this is a good time to pull those loose ends together. Have fun and explore...
The new moon falls towards the end of a particularly lifeless transition period. At first glance, there's little focus to this chart, with few planets looking to have any significance. However, in a few days, the pattern converges to a powerful storm pattern that lasts much of the rest of the month. The new moon is simply the calm before the storm. The double Yod configuration (Saturn, Pluto, Jupiter, Uranus, Chiron) is well underway already, just waiting for some of the faster planets to start triggering it into action. Mercury is quickly approaching this role in a few days, while the Sun, Moon and Mars have some contacts with Saturn and Chiron. Get ready for a heady couple of weeks. Jupiter is on the US Uranus, the new moon opposite the US Mars.
OK, start with the Yods. They're big, persistent and have the potential to shake things up on many levels. Given that Jupiter and Saturn are both in this pattern, many of the effects will be on society at large, especially where large inequalities are perceived. Obviously, the same-old-same-old is not working well at all, so some radical thinking and new approaches are sorely needed. Lacking the necessary courage and inspiration to change course, I suspect that anger and frustration at the grass roots level may swell. The government, everybody's whipping boy these days, is a prime outlet for this discontent, particularly with the federal government, which has been dysfunctional for years. Jupiter is money, Saturn responsibilities and obligations, so it's not surprising that anything remotely related to budgetary issues is in disarray. I've frequently thought of Pluto's passage through Capricorn, leading up to the US Pluto return in 2022, as a call to America to rediscover its true nature, a spiritual struggle for the national soul. We've been living beyond our means for decades and need to adjust to a more responsible lifestyle. In the more immediate future, there's a big mental shakeup coming in the next few weeks as Mercury takes on the Yods. It's a time to be receptive to big ideas that come from deep inside of you. Mull them over awhile without rushing them into action. The blind spot is in trying to implement a new agenda via the same methods that backfired on us before. Proceeding slowly can be a virtue, surprisingly. The faster things are changing on the inner planes (and things are buzzing rapidly there!), the calmer the outer world needs to be. Don't get caught up in phony social tides that distract you from your inner goals.
Uranus reaches his direct station of 4Ar36 on the 13th, shortly after the new moon. This ends a 5 month retrograde cycle that started back on Jul 13 at 8Ar32. Uranus deals with the deeper mental/intuitive mind, especially those core paradigms and perspectives that govern how the mind creates its sense of reality. Usually, when a planet is backing up, particularly at the time of the stations, matters related to that planet tend to go haywire and are up for review and revision. The common wisdom these days is to trust your intuition and gut instincts when making decisions, but that may not be good advice right now. The intuitive mind is not working effectively, leading us to misjudge situations rather badly. The hints that you need to slow down and reconsider are a sense that the world is crazier than usual and a feeling of anger, impatience and frustration over even the simplest matter. Uranus in Aries is like a lit dynamite stick, ready to blow up at even the smallest of setbacks. That sense of craziness is typical when your basic assumptions about "how the world should be" fail to match the way the world really is. Rather than rage about the people and situations that make no sense to you right now, stand back, restrain your knee-jerk reactions and explore your own key stories that you use to interpret the world. Most likely, the craziness is actually in the way you're looking at matters, although it's also possible that people around you are legitimately whacko (there's a lot of that going around these days). Only by being ruthlessly honest with yourself can you determine which one is the case. This station takes on special significance due to the fact that Uranus is part of one of those big Yods this month. The flip side of this anger is excitement and curiosity, a feeling that the changes around you are interesting and for the greater good, once the dust settles. Uranus can be a lot of fun, if you do it right. Just don't jump to any conclusions right away. Insist that new ideas prove their worth before you adopt them. Have fun!
Every year, currently around Dec 18, the Sun goes over the Galactic Center (27Sa02). Having watched this contact for many years now, I'm always amazed by how spiritual and otherworldly things feel during this time. Of course, since this is 2012, the influence may be even more pronounced than usual. According to some researchers, the Mayan calendar was designed to track the passage of the solstice Sun past a particular spot in the Milky way near the GC, a spot mythologically associated with the "otherworld", the spirits of creation, destruction and rebirth. I suspect this year's passage may be more intense than usual. In my own work, I've often noticed that the GC activates higher chakras, from the third eye to points above the head, so the spiritual energies involved are high, intense and potentially transformative. If you have the opportunity, take time off frequently to tune into this higher vibration and see where it takes you. It doesn't hurt that this is the strongest Koz Alert all month -- a hint from the universe, perhaps? This is going to be an amazing week. Make the most of it...
Juno enters Capricorn on the 18th. She'll remain in this sign until 2013-3-13, when she moves into Aquarius for an extended stay due to an upcoming retrograde cycle. This is another peculiar placement. Juno is the body that rules over romantic love, especially close committed relationships based on trust and mutual respect. Capricorn, on the other hand, is likely one of the least romantic of all the zodiac signs, the height of practical concerns, not matters of the heart. When you think about it awhile, however, they aren't such an odd couple after all. Love is much more than roses, chocolates and moonlit walks. It's also about paying the mortgage and providing for your family. Successful relationships are also practical ones, making sure that things go smoothly on the material plane, not just the emotional. This time is a good one for putting practical matters on a solid, stable basis. It's amazing how warm a relationship can be when you aren't fighting over mundane things like balancing the checkbook. Get things in order -- it pays off in the end.
Jupiter is quincunx Pluto on the 20th, the second of 3 such contacts. They first met back on Jul 18 and their final contact will be on 2013-3-29. This is the first "big aspect" going off in the primary Yod this month. It's even more remarkable that the contact is the day before the solstice, the focal date of so much of our attention now. Jupiter in Gemini wants to open us up to wider social concerns, to make the connections between people a more casual and free flowing matter. Pluto in Capricorn is a deeper, more inwardly directed influence, urging us (in no uncertain terms) to overhaul these same practical interactions, putting them on a more spiritually perfected basis. Quincunx aspects, however, generally point to two planetary factors that are subtly working at cross purposes and needing some reconciliation. Needless to say, these social issues are not going smoothly. Given that Jupiter often rules over financial matters, it's no surprise that money issues like the fiscal cliff are dominating the news. The status quo is breaking down and no longer working. Curiously, Yods often represent situations where important and irrevocable decisions need to be made, one of those forks in the road of life where you have to take one path or the other, with no turning back once you choose your path. This is an important time in our personal and collective lives, a time to change our ways and get back to basics. There's no room for trivial or insincere solutions to current problems. Pluto doesn't condone halfhearted measures. In the long run, things will go smoother, but only if you make the proper choices now. Don't shirk your obligations...
Of course, people aren't focusing on the conjunction of the Sun and GC. The event seared into everyone's mind is the winter solstice on the 21st, when the Sun enters Capricorn. And if you read the mythology a certain way, it's actually 5 or 6 hours after the solstice that is most interesting. Regardless of the Mayan overtones, the solstice is always an important turning point in the year, the time when the Sun undergoes a near death and is reborn, a time commemorated in mythologies around the world as the birth of the solar god. This is the start of a new annual cycle, a festival when the light within all of us is sparked anew. It's too bad that this year it's all clouded over by this "end of the world" hysteria. The energies are powerful and transformative, with the double Yod in full gear. The Sun is closely conjunct with Juno, hinting that treating each other openly and fairly takes precedence in the new cycles -- partnership, not individuality, rules the day. Pay attention to any planet in your own chart in the 7 to 9 degree range of any zodiac sign -- this is the area of your life most affected by the Yods. Give yourself up to the wonder of this time, not the fear and anxiety. We all deserve better...
Jupiter is quincunx Saturn on the 22nd. This is also the second of 3 such contacts. The first contact was last May 16 and the final one will be on 2013-3-23. Jupiter and Saturn are what I call the "social planets" that rule over matters that effect society at large. Jupiter is the "goodies", all the benefits that accrue to us by joining our forces and combining our resources for the common good. Saturn is all the responsibilities and limitations that we take on in order to be a member of society, the rules of the game that must be obeyed to play with others. Again, this is a quincunx, so the cost/benefit equation for most people feels seriously out of balance. We haven't had a positive aspect between these two planets since their trine back in 2007-8, just as the housing bubble was starting to pop, leading to the Great Recession. People are more than a bit upset with the way the world is going after 4 years of difficult connections between Jupiter and Saturn. And with Pluto in the picture now, the picture is even more grim and disappointing than ever. Change is in the air, but it won't be quick or easy. We've got a lot of clean up work to do before we get our world back on an even keel. Be patient -- the changes will come about on their own schedule, not ours, and these planets move slowly. The shifts are big and don't come easily. Hang in there...
Mars moves from Capricorn into Aquarius on the 25th. He'll be in this sign until 2013-2-1 when he shifts into Pisces. This placement can be quite useful, but you need to avoid some of the worst traits of Mars and Aquarius to get good results. Mars is a Warrior, the original action figure. He's good at carrying out orders, but lousy at coming up with good goals on his own. At least Aquarius is an idea's man -- that helps balance out some of Mars' shortsightedness. As for Aquarius, the mental world can often take on an absolute nature, Truth with a capital T, the right way to do things. When people disagree with you, it's easy to make them into some kind of enemy or overestimate how wide the gulf between you really is. It's best to take on some mental task that interests you, preferably something abstract and detached from people. If you must work with others, try to be diplomatic and listen to their point of view more often (something Mars isn't all that good at). Be clear that everyone agrees on the basic goals. This isn't the most natural placement for Mars, but there's lots of good potential here. Make the most of it.
Saturn is sextile Pluto on the 26th. This is the first of 3 contacts. The upcoming instances will be 2013-3-8 and 2013-9-20. Aspects between Saturn and Pluto have a reputation of being difficult and even destructive; good results come with difficulty. At least this is a sextile, which tends to work out well if you show up and put in a decent effort. The big issue is that Saturn is about building up structures and patterns that form the basis of everyday living, while Pluto has a tendency to break such structures apart when they've outlived their usefulness. This is the last aspect this month for the primary Yod, a fitting exclamation point for this time of radical change and overhaul. At least Jupiter is the focus of this Yod, so a constructive outcome is more likely than usual. I'd check where these planets fall (9 degrees of Scorpio and Capricorn) in your own birth chart, especially which houses are effected, to see which areas of your life may be under stress in coming months. Since this is the first contact, the challenges are just beginning and may not be visible yet, so pay attention to the clues around you and settle in for the long haul. If you find some part of your life isn't working as smoothly as it used to, that's the sign that Pluto will be breaking it down or that Saturn is telling you some disciplined effort is in order. It's not always easy to tell which is which, however. You may try putting in the extra work, only to find Pluto wants you to let go instead. This isn't a fun connection, but it's important to give it your best effort. It's one of those "character building" influences...
The full moon is considerably stronger than the new moon as we head into a brief Koz Alert shortly. Again, the double Yod is the main story here, although much of the fireworks are already past. The Sun is between Juno and Pluto with the Moon opposite. The other inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars) are pretty quiet now.
Some of the deeper and more troublesome sides of all this energy are coming out now, with the Sun conjunction Pluto (on the 30th) stirring up all sorts of unconscious motivations. You need to be careful when dealing with others, as misunderstandings are likely and could lead to power plays between people. It's easy to see the worst in another and hard to remember we all have our faults. On the other hand, if you're the type that enjoys diving deep into your own psyche for the spiritual pleasure of it all, this should be a very fertile time. Put aside the concerns of the world awhile and enter into a conversation with your inner self. Coming on the heels of the new year (as it will for the next few years), this conjunction is a call to move beyond anything holding you back, including the comforts of life. Pay attention to emotions and intuitive nudges that push you in unexpected directions or the off-chance remark from someone that gets you thinking. Keep a light attitude and an optimistic outlook that life is progressing according to plan. See you in 2013!
(I hope Congress is done with the fiscal cliff by now. I don't see much negotiating in the cards this week...)
We got through the elections finally. For all the talk of a close ballot, Obama won rather decisively, taking all but one of the 11 battleground states. The counting didn't go on as long as I was expecting, due to the Mercury station, even though some Congressional seats weren't called until Thanksgiving. Romney came on after midnight to deliver a hastily drafted concession speech to a lukewarm response -- the chart for that moment was totally devoid of planetary contacts going off. When Obama appeared in Chicago shortly after that, the aspects were popping all over the place. I guess the old Obama sense of timing continues. Now comes the hard part -- governing.
A few days later, China went through a major transition of power of its own, amidst a cloud of corruption and privilege by the elites. The Yods probably have some shakeups for that country as well, as the compact between the leaders and the people ("work hard, get rich, let us rule the country...") is rather frayed. The big news of November came the day after the solar eclipse, when Gaza and Israel got into an 8 day shooting match, with civilians in the crossfire. This one was finally calmed by an international effort, with Egypt's President Morsi in the lead. His kudos were short-lived, however, when he gave himself unlimited powers on the 22nd, leading to weeks of rioting in the streets since then. His rule, which began on Jun 24, the first Uranus-Pluto square, is certainly changing things, though it's hard to tell yet if these are constructive changes. The jury is still out on whether the Egyptian transition to a democracy is going well or not. The odds are better, at least, than in a place like Syria...