December 2019: Initiate Transition
Change is coming in 2020. Everyone can already feel it. December holds big things. The transitions that happen this month are the gateway into the waters we’ll be navigating for the coming decade. It’s an exciting time so get out your map, compass, and binoculars because we’re heading towards new territory.
The first major movement is Jupiter’s entrance into Capricorn on December 2. We’ve all enjoyed Jove’s visit through his home fire sign of Sagittarius since November 2018. The mutable energy inspired us to try new things, dance with possibility, believe in our dreams, and go for the gold. Unfortunately, along with this optimism was a fair share of disappointments because as Jupiter in Sag is empowered to say Yes, right next door, in Capricorn, was Saturn, the King of No, sitting on his winter earth throne with Pluto and Ketu closeby, blocking any project that didn’t have lasting staying power or which could not come before other matters were dealt with.
For many of us, 2019 felt like hurling headlong towards something beautiful, only to run smack into a barrier. Often this drew our awareness into partitions in our own hearts and minds. The places where we were cut off from faith; where these disappointments hurt the most. Please give yourself a huge round of applause for all that you were able to accomplish this year, and, most of all, for the effort you put into trying. Our unsustainable-disposable-capitalist society values product above process and erases the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into each and every item we consume. Behind all great inventions are countless necessary failures, and thousands of thwarted attempts. Part of the reemergence of the Divine Feminine in our consciousness, and how she is helping us to restore balance to the planet, is looking at life holistically and appreciating each part. You're not the same person that you were in December 2018. You’ve grown exponentially since then, and are wiser partly because of how hard you tried and what you were denied. Take a moment to reflect on what’s changed, and give thanks for how well you showed up for each step along the way.
Jupiter in Capricorn is a contraction after all the growth of Sag, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it could come as quite a relief. The Jupitarian impulse can lead to excess and overdoing it. Unchecked, we become disharmonious and out of balance. If you got a bit carried away with what you were hoping for in 2019, which was easy to do with all the squares from Neptune in Pisces, the simplicity of earthy Capricorn will remind you of the joy of small things. The next year is less about what you can create, and more about how well you can work with what you have. We’ll be called to par down. Do less, but do it better. Maintain the inroads we’ve made and fortify the structure we’ve created. Put plans for expansion on hold for the next couple of years, and settle into getting intimately familiar with what you have. The richness that comes from lovingly appreciating the beauty of what is ours is a form of devotion to the Divine.
Jupiter is moving through Saturn ruled signs for the next two years. There'll be a distinct flavor to each passage, and major shifts in the collective as a result. Jupiter will stay in Capricorn until December 19, 2020, conjoining Pluto three times (April 4, June 30, and Nov 12), and traveling quite close to Saturn at the end. We can think of Jove’s visit as bringing much needed rainfall in an area of life that has been a bit parched and under construction since 2018. The land has been tilled and boulders overturned. We’re still wondering what will grow from it, if anything at all. Seeds planted in Capricorn soil take a long time to mature. Jupiter throws down some much needed fertilizer on a plot that’s felt like a barren wasteland. There'll be great empowerment during the Pluto-Jupiter conjunctions, and, with enough diligence and effort, the possibility of turning lead into gold.
Saturn has been in Capricorn since December 19, 2017, teaching us about the importance of discipline, fortitude, and planning for the future. As the Moon moves through the zodiac every 28.5 days (2.5 days per sign), Saturn takes 28.5 years (2.5 years per sign). In 2020, Saturn begins the transition of moving to his fixed air sign of Aquarius, and we’ll get a taste of outer space when he dips in briefly from March 21-July 1, 2020. Aquarius represents what’s beyond the known limits and understanding of our galaxy. Beyond the beyond. The multi-verse humans can only glimpse but in dreams. We depart through the 7 chakra at the crown of our head and soar through the night sky, getting visions and receiving downloads of the possibilities that exist just outside the narrow human frame of reference. If Capricorn wants to make things secure on the earthly plane, Aquarius asks what more might be out there, and how we could use that greater perspective to make conditions more just and equitable for humanity. Since the 1960s, Aquarius has come to be associated with a shift in consciousness. An upgrade towards greater freedom for all. We’re at a crucial point in human evolution. We can’t continue to manipulate Gaia’s resources the way we have for much longer. In order to create a sustainable future for generations to come, we need to make a radical revision in the way we live on earth today. We need to download from the wisdom of Aquarius, the architects of new society, blueprints that teach us how to live more intelligently and conscientiously. And we need everyone to get on board immediately.
Jupiter is the sage, priest/ess, or wise one who has come to expand the Capricorn vision beyond the myopic perspective of what any one individual, state, or country needs to feel secure. The next year is preparing us for the great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius on December 21, 2020. These conjunctions happen every 20 years, and are characterized by a collision between culture and society, which result in massive restructuring. Ancient people used these transits to predict great events, and the Mayans based their sophisticated calendar on it. These transits are the keystones of human development in which possibility and potential (Jupiter) meet material reality (Saturn). Individually, we can use them to create a realignment towards greater meaning in our lives. The last conjunction was in Taurus on May 28, 2000, resulting in huge shifts around banking, money markets, food production, and the distribution of resources. Think back to that time. What shifted for you then?
Saturn and Jupiter have a longer cycle in which their conjunctions occur within the same element for roughly 200 years. They’ve been meeting in earth signs since 1802 when they joined in Virgo. Since then, humans have seen unprecedented innovation in technology and manipulation of the earth’s resources. Millions of us in industrialized nations enjoy a higher standard of living than ever experienced on earth before. However, this material progress has been unevenly distributed and is completely unsustainable. We’re now on the brink of environmental collapse. The skillful application of Capricorn is as quality control agent of the zodiac. The one who measures whether things are up to code. It’s clear we’re at code red for environmental crisis and need a giant paradigm shift to return to homeostasis. Capricorn takes a solid and somber look at the world and sees the frivolity behind the fancy facade. You’ll be encouraged to take such an unsparing lens to yourself over the next year, but this serious analysis is not meant as a punishment. It’s preparing you for the Great Mutation (yes, that’s really what they call it) that’s coming when Saturn and Jupiter begin meeting in a new element, air, for the next 200 years. Air signs rule the mental faculties, and connections to the higher realms. At the Winter Solstice 2020, they’ll come together in Aquarius, laying the groundwork for the collective to take a monumental leap in human consciousness. The special emphasis placed on this moment is not an overstatement. We have a unique opportunity to elevate mass perception of reality and take us to the next level. This is a crucial turning point, and each of us are needed to show up for the inner work so we can transform the whole.
Sagittarius Season is a time of festivity and celebration, but there is a seriousness to it this year due to the heavy Capricorn influence. With both Venus and Jupiter there at the beginning of December, it’s as if the party planning committee has been sequestered to the back room of a library and given permission to throw their event on the condition it is tasteful and restrained. Venus is moving into conjunctions with Ketu and Saturn on December 11, and Pluto on December 13. These transits can cause feelings of distance and isolation from those we love. This is how many people feel during the holiday season already. There's a sense of being tested and pulled into something difficult with Pluto, so we need to place special emphasis on self-care, and having a community network in place to deal with what arises. Reach out early and often and remind others they’re not alone. You will help yourself stay connected in the process.
Mercury enters Sagittarius on December 8, officially exiting the Scorpio retrograde shadow. For the past three months our minds were plunged into the depths of our darkest emotional landscape. It was an intense time. We learned a lot about what we need to be safe and happy in partnerships. Mercury in Sagittarius is a completely different animal: boisterous, enthusiastic, and endlessly curious. If Mercury in Scorpio wants to know why, Mercury in Sag wants to know everything. Over the next few weeks, your mind will soar with possibility and you may feel more scattered than usual. Mercury in Sag can make it difficult to complete tasks, especially research projects, because it feels like you could always include more. Your mouth may be inclined to write checks your butt can’t cash so if you find yourself exaggerating or overpromising, correct yourself in the moment and admit you got carried away. Keep it simple is the best advice until Mercury enters Capricorn on December 28.
We dance with duality at the Gemini Full Moon at 12:12AM (EST) on December 12, (12/12). The universe sure likes to play, huh? This Moon is in a square from Neptune in Pisces making things feel a bit befuddled. Mercury is ruling this Moon from a place of detriment across the zodiac, but Gemini loves a puzzle, and this is a request to engage with limitation from a place of strength. The Lovers card in tarot is associated with Gemini because we subconsciously find people to partner with who embody qualities we don’t know how to access or haven’t explored yet. Partnerships are a mirror that can help us access our shadow side by pulling us into experiences we would never have on our own. It's helpful to have someone to wrestle and talk things out with, and no one enjoys the interplay and exchange like Gemini. Let yourself go out, be social and chatty, and try things you’ve never done before. Sample life like a buffet and you’ll never get bored. Change helps us stay young, that is the magic of the Gemini.
Venus enters Aquarius on December 20, and we’re able to get a bit more detachment from our feelings in this cold, air sign. Still, it is not the warmest place to spend the holidays. If you’re worried that you won’t be gifted what you truly desire, or no one will show up for you the way you need, do yourself a favor and buy everything you want or throw the party you wish to attend. Make yourself the beloved this holiday season, and see how much more enjoyable it is to not hang your happiness on other people’s behaviors. Venus moves into a square with Uranus in Taurus on December 22, just after the trine between Jupiter and Uranus concludes. Uranus encourages us to break out of boxes and find greater freedom. Maybe your best plan is to opt out of some holiday events altogether, and that’s great too. It won’t necessarily make you happy to do what everyone else is doing. Follow your star no matter how strange or erratic it seems. You could end up somewhere unexpectedly enchanted.
The Sun moves into Capricorn on December 21, at the Winter Solstice, Wiccan holiday of Yule. The wheel of the year turns again as we enter into the season of Winter (December 21-March 19). Yule is the longest night of the year and a time of renewal when the force of life in our solar system, the Sun, dies and is reborn. The word solstice comes from the Latin “solstitium” meaning “sun stands still” or time stands still. The Sun has a constant regular cycle, and, unlike all the other planets, never retrogrades. Thus, it was considered good and pure, most like the Divine. You could tell time by it, and, indeed, we do. Eclipses were considered threatening by ancient people because they interfered with the consistent nature of the Sun by obscuring part of it. The cycles of the planets are marked by their conjunctions with the Sun, but at the Winter Solstice, the Sun dies and is reborn to itself. What a powerful moment. Calendars were organized around the Sun’s path through the zodiac and holidays celebrated the passage from greatest darkness to maximal light (solstices), and the balance in between (equinoxes). Many modern holidays still take place around the time of these natural phenomenon, such as Christmas at the Winter Solstice. Although the original meaning of these rituals were lost, they are being uncovered by more and more people, adding depth and meaning that help us navigate the complexity of seasonal transition.
In pagan mythology, the Goddess gives birth to the Sun God (son of God) at the Solstice, and then rests for the Winter while the child grows. The flourishing of life will be celebrated at Ostara, the Spring Equinox, on March 19, 2020. Yule is the time to plant seeds deep in the earth (Capricorn) that will germinate throughout the Winter, and sprout in the Spring (Taurus). Our culture is very solar/light/masculine/external/logical/production based. Many people struggle with Winter because it is a lunar/dark/feminine/internal/instinctual/restful time when our physical environment will not allow us to do as much. We are forced to stay inside and this can make us SADD. A wonderful way to use the natural rhythms to support mental health is to give yourself permission to have a different experience. Instead of comparing Winter to Summer or wishing it was Spring already, get curious about what Winter has to teach you. The gifts are tougher to crack but richer on the inside. Our internal experiences can be generative when we have structures supporting us throughout. Take time on the Winter Solstice to meditate on what you’d like to grow in the new year. Walk or sit in nature and notice what the land where you live looks like, how does the air taste and smell, what animals are present. Winter is not just one long blizzard. There is a gradual process of coming in and out of deep stillness. Of freezing and then thawing again. Connecting with the earth has proven health benefits and noticing what plants and animals are doing helps us understand what is going on within us internally. (Witch pro tip: If you have the opportunity to try Forest Bathing, it is extremely powerful experience, which I highly recommend. There are great guides, such as Toadstool Walks in the Boston area, who lead magical walks connecting folks with nature).
The Capricorn New Moon Solar Eclipse on December 25, (Dec 26 at 12:13AM on East Coast) is the perfect time to set intentions for projects you can work on, and small action steps you can take in January, February, and Marchthat will move you closer to your goals by the time April arrives. This Moon is in a beautiful conjunction with Jupiter and a trine to Uranus in Taurus. There is a sense of something personal or physical being removed with the eclipse but also the ability to grow in unprecedented ways with Jupiter and Uranus offering strange gifts. Jupiter conjoins the Sun on December 27, receiving a divine message for what to build and make over the next year during his sojourn in Cap territory.
Mercury enters Capricorn on December 28, and moves into a square with Chiron in Aries. We end 2019 with our winged messenger in a trine with Uranus, and the Sun in a conjunction with the Ketu, the lunar South Node, on December 30. It is a fittingly purgative conclusion to a year that piled on both the weird and wonderful There’s plenty more of that in store in 2020. We’re coming to the end of one road and about to turn onto another. Take your time with the transitions, and let yourself pull over onto the soft shoulder whenever you need a time-out in December. There’s no rush to get anywhere because we’re already exactly where we’re supposed to be.
Yule Blessings: by Samantha Symonds