Monthly Overview December 2021
Welcome to the monthly astrological forecast for December 2021. No doubt you have noticed, that things are getting a bit wonky.
The astrological intensity has been gradually increasing since the last Full Moon in Taurus. There has been little let up, and that won’t change any time soon. Quite the opposite. December is marked by irritations and highly charged emotions: Venus conjuncts Pluto twice, and Uranus and Saturn form their final square.
But let’s start at the beginning.
December 1 – 5, 2021
December begins with Neptune turning direct on December 1. Direct or indirect, Neptune is difficult to grasp. Neptune is elusive, eroding and draining, but also imaginative, spiritual, and confabulating. When direct, his work proceeds unfettered, but when he retrogrades, he revisits old trouble spots.
Neptune is not in the spotlight this month, but that will change next year when Jupiter cosies up to him.
In the run-up to the New Moon, Mercury creates some awkward vibes: on December 1, he forms an irritating semi-square with Pluto. Stubbornness and wilfulness create friction if there is no willingness to bend or change. This is followed by Mercury and the Sun, both quincunxing Uranus, on December 2 and 3, respectively. Quincunxes are awkward. They point towards unreconcilable attitudes that need to be adjusted, pruned and adapted for greater efficiency and growth. Left unattended, they become draining and self-depleting. Uranus’ involvement suggests that this may manifest as a more radical and sudden shift than would otherwise be expected.
New Moon in Sagittarius ECLIPSE
The New Moon in Sagittarius on December 4 coincides with the last solar eclipse in the Gemini/Sagittarius polarity before the nodes change signs. Communication is the topic de jour. Unresolved issues must be aired and dealt with before we can move on.
December 6 – 12, 2021
Mars sextiles Pluto on December 6, providing an opportunity to integrate and learn from recent experiences. The rest of the week is dominated by Mercury aspects that are especially active on December 10, when Mercury first semi-squares Saturn and then semi-sextiles Venus and Pluto. Communication is hitting a wall at first, but there is at least the potential of finding a solution if the mental horizon can be broadened. Still, the situation remains tense.
On December 11, Venus conjuncts Pluto while Mercury forms a sesquiquadrate with Uranus, which has all the makings for a sudden upset and the excitement of cleaning up the aftermath. Mercury sextiles Jupiter on the same day, suggesting an intense time of mental processing.
When the Sun squares Neptune on December 12., decisive action is needed, but evasive Neptune is more likely to fudge.
December 13 – 20, 2021
A change of energy comes on December 13, when Mars and Mercury change signs. Mars enters excitable Sagittarius, while Mercury joins Venus and Pluto in Capricorn. The rest of the week continues with minor aspects, which nevertheless result in irritations in the run-up to the Full Moon on December 19. Venus turns retrograde on the Full Moon, and emotions are likely to dominate – which is not conducive to clear thinking and rational decision-making. Venus will stay retrograde until January 29, 2022.
December 21 – 31, 2021
At the Winter-Solstice, the Sun enters Capricorn. We have reached the shortest day of the year, a turning point, as we await the rebirth of the light. The entire period is under the influence of the tightening Saturn/Uranus square. It becomes exact on December 24, just as Venus and Pluto are coming together for their second conjunction on December 25. The tension does not subside after Christmas either: Mars will line up for a semi-square with Venus and Pluto, agitating rather than calming the situation.
On December 29, Jupiter changes signs and joins Neptune in Pisces, the sign of their co-rulership. On the same day, Mercury conjuncts Venus, and two days later, Pluto. Meanwhile, the Sun squares Chiron. The intensity remains high, as Mercury, Venus and Pluto are brooding over their ‘stuff’. Something has to give.
On the upside…
On the positive side, the triple conjunction of Venus, Mercury and Pluto offers a chance for reorientation and cleansing. The intense and concentrated energy of this triple conjunction is a retreat to inner space. Before we can bring in the new, we need to clear out the debris of the past.
Outlook
It is an intense finale to a challenging year. It leaves us wondering what next year will bring and whether we should dare to hope. But the wheel of time keeps moving, and consciousness keeps expanding if we continue to shine our light.
