December 1, 2023 — We end the year with Capricorn and Sagittarius at the helm, weaving us in and out of uncertainty and hope. Mercury is in his shadow and will station retrograde mid-month until New Year’s Day. As we transition into 2024, we’re entering a period of reflection and review, particularly around our beliefs and commitments. All month, we’re asking ourselves —

What do we believe in? Where have we fallen prey to illusions? Have we lost touch with our optimism, humor, and joy?

Pluto is at the anoretic degree of Capricorn this month. On December 30, he leaves his square to the lunar nodes, wrapping up a painful transit that started this summer. We’ve been undergoing deep, alchemical work, both in our personal lives and the collective sphere. This will continue until November 2024, when Pluto finally enters Aquarius for good. Crises and ancient karma are rearing their heads for harsh reckonings as we challenge and collapse old structures, paradigms, and societal norms. Transiting Pluto’s location in our personal chart indicates where we are ready to move beyond our unconscious fears and conclude a fifteen-year journey of transformation. 

2024 promises to be a year of abrupt change. It will require us to surrender and let go of previously cherished patterns, philosophies, and expectations so that we can catapult into growth. We are finding the perfect balance between realism and idealism, generating the courage to face the world’s horrors while keeping our hearts open. We’re learning to remain empathetic, loving, and present with the beauty of each moment, allowing waves of grief and despair to wash through us without dimming our light or destroying our faith in humanity.

DECEMBER 2023 TRANSITS

SAGITTARIUS NEW MOON 

A Sagittarius New Moon arrives on December 12, forming a square to illusory Neptune, which has just stationed direct. This is a beautiful moment for dreams, romance, and art. However, we could also experience disillusionment or clouded thinking. We are calling on the earthiness and pragmatism of Mercury in Capricorn and Jupiter in Taurus. Amid the atrocities of the world, this lunation brings levity and hope, as well as a glimmer of truth and the possibility for peace. We can let Neptune dissolve our rigidity as we embrace our interconnection.

MERCURY STATIONS RETROGRADE

Mercury stations retrograde from December 13 to January 1. He begins his journey in Capricorn, returning to Sagittarius on December 22, conjunct the Sun. It’s time to rest and retreat. As we go inward, we can gently reflect on our commitments, beliefs, and what we need to adjust. We are thinking slowly and carefully, deciding where to direct our energy and time. If we’ve had misunderstandings, this transit can help us revisit and rectify them. Enormous insight is ready to emerge as we embrace the quiet solitude in which Mercury retrograde flourishes.

SUN ENTERS CAPRICORN / SOLSTICE

On December 21, the Sun enters Capricorn as we experience the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, summer in the southern. This is the darkest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, marking the return of the light. In both hemispheres, this signifies entry into a month focused on accomplishment, duty, and discipline. We can consider what we want to focus on, a quandary further emphasized by Mercury retrograde in Capricorn.

VENUS TRINE NEPTUNE

Venus trines Neptune on December 25, expanding our hearts and allowing for real romance, forgiveness, and unconditional love.

CANCER FULL MOON

A Cancer Full Moon forms on December 26, the final lunation of the year. This brings culmination to issues around family, home, and our inner life. Emotions are taking precedence over practical matters and external expectations. The most important question to ask ourselves is: How do we feel? This is a time to build a cozy nest and open up anything we’ve kept locked inside. Mars is squaring Neptune, exact on December 28, so we can take this opportunity to rest, meditate, and relax as much as possible.

PLUTO SQUARE NODES ENDS /  PLUTO AT ANORETIC DEGREE OF CAPRICORN

Pluto ends his square to the nodes on December 30. It’s been a long, arduous journey since the summer. We’ve been experiencing crisis and transformation around the structures of our lives and society itself. The planets have called us to undergo deep karmic, ancestral, and past-life work while our shadows have reared their heads. The world has become extremely volatile as old, unresolved issues have come to the fore for reckoning. Although Pluto leaving his square to the nodes may come as a relief, Pluto is still on the anoretic degree of Capricorn on and off until November 2024. We are challenging the old paradigm—old ways and models of politics, society, systems, and structures. 

From here, we are looking ahead to a year of profound and unexpected change—of the people joining forces to steer the planet’s ship in a different direction. It will be wild and unpredictable. But for now, we can rest, gather our mental and physical strength, and take ample time to decide what is most important to us moving forward.

DEcember 2023 Aspiration

Amid fallen leaves and the silence of winter, may we look to the horizon and feel our interconnection and hope. May we question rigid beliefs, finding the courage to prioritize humanity over propaganda, fear, and preconditioned beliefs.

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