Astrological update for the week of December 4-11, 2023
Neptune turns direct. This month we have three planets changing signs which means a shift in planetary energies, and that begins with Neptune turning direct this week. This is especially significant if you are experiencing a transit of Neptune to your own chart as it will intensify during this time. Neptune stations can be somewhat destabilizing since Neptune urges us to detach from the practical and embrace the creative and mystical. Neptune won’t begin to pick up speed until mid-January making this an ideal time to gather the faery dust of the holidays and use Neptune’s inspiration and imagination to create an abundant picture for the coming year.
Venus enters Scorpio and dances with Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn. When the planet of love and beauty enters the sign of the emotional warrior it can get intense (I know this only too well since I have this in my own chart!). This is especially true because Venus has to leave the safety of her own peaceful sign of Libra to enter the Scorpionic fires of transformation through fire. But this week Venus gets support from other planets to facilitate this shift and help us to glean all of the passion and thrill that Scorpio has to offer.
Scorpio is a sign of power, and while it’s not the easy sign of the zodiac to manage it can be one of the most rewarding. Life on the surface has its limits and its own challenges, and Scorpio takes the knife of its Mars rulership to cut away the BS, and the Pluto rulership facilitates empowerment and the blossoming of an experience that is real and true.
Mercury turns retrograde next week so watch for the shadow. A great deal has been said about the shadow and astrologers debate how long it is, what it means, and why we should pay attention. In any case, Mercury slows down this week to a crawl in preparation for its retrograde turn on the 13th and is nearing its closest point to Earth. Communication and information is more important now, and we may experience our lives slowing down so that we can pay closer attention.
Also next week, the Sagittarius New Moon! The Moon will enter Sagittarius on Monday and preparation begins for the New Moon. We can get a head start on preparing for that by using Mercury in Capricorn’s attention to detail and practical matters to think ahead to the celebration. The New Moon in Sagittarius helps us to facilitate our dreams and goals, and knowing what these are can be a big help in manifesting them.
Here’s what else you need to know this week (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, here is a time zone converter to adjust for your locality.)
Monday December 4. The Moon starts the week in Virgo, a time when I always like to clean my house and get things organized. Virgo is primarily concerned with practical matters and the Moon is waning now so it’s a good time for some decluttering. Harmonious lunar aspect offer support and clear thinking, but in the afternoon Venus enters fiery Scorpio and then the Moon gets into an argument with Mars which could last for a few hours.
The effect of the waning lunar square just after midnight on Tuesday begins Monday evening and may require an adjustment of some sort. Be prepared to change your view. (Moon trine Mercury 5:12 am, trine Jupiter 12:32 pm, Venus enters Scorpio 1:50 pm, Moon square Mars 1:51 pm.)
Tuesday December 5. The planetary weather on Tuesday offers a chance to regroup and rebalance with a pleasant aspect from Venus to Saturn. This would be a good day to spend time with someone you may have a difficult time with, or to tackle a challenging interpersonal situation. It’s also the last chance to take advantage of the Virgo Moon’s inspiration to set your life in order. (Moon square Sun 12:49 am, trine Uranus 3:44 pm, Venus trine Saturn 5:51 pm.)
Wednesday December 6. Neptune turns direct on Wednesday but that’s usually not something we particularly notice. A lunar aspect to Neptune just after midnight will likely be unremarkable, and then the Moon is kissed by Pluto before moving into Libra in the late morning. This Moon/Pluto event is fleeting but has the potential to awaken something deep within. It’s a good time to pay attention to feelings.
Under the Libra Moon our attention tends to turn towards a more diplomatic approach to situations. We crave that inner balance and peaceful relationships which could be briefly disturbed late in the evening when emotions can get tripped up by our ideas and beliefs. (Moon opposite Neptune 1:16 am, Neptune turns direct 8:22 am, Moon trine Pluto 8:50 am, Moon enters Libra 11:34 am, Moon square Mercury 11:00 pm.)
Thursday December 7. Positive energies abound on Thursday. It becomes simpler to adopt an optimistic outlook, focusing on possibilities instead of limitations. By being attentive, we can more effectively let go of painful emotions that become entrenched in our body and mind, and crystallized into our beliefs. (Moon sextile Mars 6:15 am, sextile Sun 6:36 pm, opposite Chiron 6:39 pm, Sun trine Chiron 7:11 pm, Mercury trine Jupiter 11:08 pm.)
Friday December 8. The Moon completes her journey through Libra today and is pretty quiet until late evening when in the late degrees of Libra she faces off against Pluto just before entering Scorpio. It’s a good day to polish up our sword and shield and be ready for the intensification of life under the Scorpio Moon with all her passions and power. (Moon square Pluto 8:05 pm, Moon enters Scorpio 10:34 pm.)
Saturday December 9. The Moon is very busy on Saturday and mostly compatible with the other planets in the sky. A bit of tension between Venus and Jupiter is generally positive since these are the two benefics – the planets which usually offer support and good fortune; however, with Venus in Scorpio we may feel some stress between a demanding situation and a desire to remain in a peaceful inner state. As stressful aspects go this one is pretty mild and will likely not create any big problems. (Moon trine Saturn 1:33 am, conjunct Venus 9:23 am, opposite Jupiter 10:41 am, sextile Mercury 12:46 pm, Venus opposite Jupiter 10:34 pm.)
Sunday December 10. The skies are relatively quiet on Sunday other than a few hours of tension in the middle of the day. It’s a good day to relax and ponder the meaning of life as we prepare for the Moon to slip into Sagittarius on Monday morning.
I hope you have a wonderful week! For up to the minute rambles on planetary musings check out my new Musings/Notes on Substack.
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