Freedom to Explore and Expanding New Horizons | December Astrology
By Catie Cadge PhD
Happy Holidays, Santa Cruz stargazers! I love the cold, clear nights of December, when planets shine bright. On December 7th, the Sun and Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius oppose Jupiter at 16°15’ Gemini. The great gaseous giant is closest to the Earth and the Sun lights up the planet’s surface, making Jupiter shine on with majestic glory! Mars, also very bright, is top in the news as the red planet turns retrograde at 6°10’ Leo, December 6th. Potential is good for some beautiful nights and radiant planets. “Shine on! Keep on shining”!
Venus in Capricorn is “out of bounds” at extreme declination the first days of December. When a planet is out of bounds, the energy is unconventional in feel, so when we do the dance of relationship, watch out for too much control or over-the-top emphasis on strategy rather than connecting with the heart. In light of Venus’s creative side, the beginning of December is a good time for thinking outside the norm in terms of holiday traditions and with our art. “I’ll take a simple C and G…”! Venus forms a lovely, supportive trine with Uranus in late Taurus, December 2nd. Things may be done a little differently as we negotiate with our partners, find the healthy space we need in relationships, while also grounding our love or collaboration in something that might really work.
Also in the first week of December, Sun and Mercury form a square with Saturn at 13°in Pisces. Meanwhile, Jupiter and Saturn have been in an ongoing square, exact later in the month. So we have a “mutable T-square”. Where do we need freedom to explore, to expand into new horizons? The Sun is screaming “Hey you!” There may be tension around where we need space to be ourselves and what we believe, where we need to feed our curiosity, while also feeling compassion for others and a need to dream. December 7th, Venus conjuncts Pluto, 0°23’ Aquarius, triggering a longer process of transforming our values, our creativity or our relationship patterns in more authentic ways. Rather than living “yesterday’s tomorrows,” “I know that something is helping me along…” Pluto in Aquarius brings to the surface old wounds inside when it comes to our personal freedom and our right to let our freak flag fly!
Midmonth, the Full Moon in Gemini, 23°53’, on December 15th is at 1:01 am Pacific time. The same day, Mercury turns direct at 6°24’ Sagittarius forming a trine with Mars retrograde in Leo. Mars continues to move backward in the sky throughout late December asking us to reflect upon what we need to do to feel seen, cherished and loved. Where is it we need to roar and let our passions out? Mercury asks us to reevaluate and think through where in our lives we need adventure and the feeling of being on a quest? There has to be some flexibility and openness to giving space to others while also taking care of your own needs when applause or praise is necessary. You deserve to be on top!
By December 19th, when Venus in Aquarius trines Jupiter in Gemini, curiosity for fresh experience can bring fun opportunities if we open our minds and hearts to radical ways of being with each other. Happy winter solstice, everyone! Sun enters Capricorn on December 21st, 1:20 am. Yuletide brings us heightened energy from the T-square I mentioned at the start of my article as Jupiter retrograde squares Saturn in Pisces on December 24th. Time to reimagine your dreams while learning to change and be a paradigm shifter! Look to see where mid degrees of mutable signs, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces fall in your natal chart.
Near the end of the year, some fights are possible over these themes of space and freedom and what changes in values we have been processing when Venus in Aquarius squares Uranus in Taurus, 23°44’ December 27th . Rework this tension and change it into a great work by grounding the energy on the New Moon, Capricorn 9°44’, December 30th, 2:26 pm. Set intentions for making plans real and for achieving your goals in 2025. Happy New Year, everyone! Time to “Feel brand new about it!”
Catie Cadge, PhD
Catie Cadge is Dean of the Forrest Center for Evolutionary Astrology. Classes and more information: forrestastrology.center. Read about Catie and her work at caraevolutionaryastrology.com.
