December Horoscopes

Astrology of December
Current Configurations
Past Months

Aries	Libra
Taurus	Scorpio
Gemini	Sagittarius
Cancer	Capricorn
Leo	Aquarius
Virgo	Pisces

December 2006

Current Astrology

	The Sun is in Aries
	The Moon is in Libra all day
	Next Mercury Retrograde 6/17/20 to 7/12/20

December Horoscopes

by Henry Seltzer

The Astrology of December represents a time of transition, when all the personal planets change signs, and when the signs of Sagittarius and Capricorn and their rulers Jupiter and Saturn are emphasized in particular. Also featured in this month's astrology are the planetary energies of Uranus and Pluto. These planets are especially highlighted in the Full Moon of December 4th and the New Moon taking place on December 20th as we head into the Christmas holiday. It is entirely appropriate that these four planets are emphasized as we transition into Winter and the holidays, since together they represent both radical transformation (Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto) and relying on the practicalities of the status quo (Saturn) perhaps even to the point of holding back from necessary changes that we need to make in our lives.

Jupiter entered his own sign of Sagittarius in late November just after Thanksgiving, and then Saturn stations retrograde during the first part of the current month, still in trine with Pluto, continuing the emphasis on deep-seated transformation to established structures. While Saturn represents resistance, Pluto in contrast represents the necessary changes that must take place for the sake of the future health of the individual. Jupiter is Pluto's ally, since the concept of faith he represents urges us to go on with necessary transformation in spite of everything. By December 8th both Mercury and Mars enter Sagittarius, Jupiter's natural territory, there to rendezvous over the next several days with this expansive, optimistic and future-oriented energy. From the 8th to the 10th no fewer than six planets are lined up in Sagittarius, including Venus and Pluto, and after the 10th there are still five remaining. So Jupiter is doubly important in this mid-month period, since he rules half the planets, while appearing in his own sign for the first time in twelve years. Most importantly in expressing the energy of this line-up for the sake of our personal development is the fundamental optimism that Jupiter represents and that stands in contrast to the fears and holding back represented by Saturn. While we always have the tendency to hold back and maintain the status quo, that can mean that what happens to us are those requirements thrust upon us by external forces which we may not be in alignment with, rather than the changes that we can come to as a logical progression of our own unique arc of development. What in fact are we really afraid of? The essence of life itself is change, as Dylan reminded us in the glorious and expansive sixties when he wrote, "everybody not being born is busy dying." It happens whether we will it consciously or drag our feet, so we might as well begin to recognize the curve of our life path and head that way. When the New Moon of the 20th conjuncts Pluto we are re-born into a new world; and hopefully a new world of our own making.

Transits to the U.S. Chart

Of course the big news last month was the historic democratic party election victory which really does seem to signal a change in the weather for this country's political climate. There is still a long way to go however to undo the mistakes of the past and to hold the newly elected democratic congress accountable to the will of the electorate that voted for change. Last month we wrote that the wake of the elections could involve legal challenges, and that the proliferation of the paperless touch-screen voting machines could be the source of continuing problems and that unfortunately seems also to have been the case. Although the democratic majority was so large that it overwhelmed the negative effect of the lost votes, at least in most cases, there are important challenges to the election results that would result in about a 4% greater count for the democrats than they got. For one Internet story on this, see this truthout article.

This month as many across the country bask in the swing back to center there are likely to be some interesting challenges for us as well. When Saturn stations on December 5th it is opposite U.S. Moon, representing the public, with transiting Pluto is exactly sextile to it. Meanwhile the Sun crosses the U.S. Ascendant, indicating a time of self-discovery. Transiting Uranus in the Third House squares natal Uranus. There are likely to be further surprising and even startling revelations that come to us around this time frame about the way that our government goes about its business. The New Moon of December 20th also may be massively transformative, just as it is for all of us individuals living our lives in the shadow of our political institutions.