As we approach the end of the year, Saturn and Uranus are still doing their little square dance, with Uranus conjunct the North Node and Saturn square the nodes. So we can still expect some disruption and tension as we let go of the old order and grapple with what the new brings.
Saturn’s square to the nodes moves out of orb by the middle of December, taking off some of the pressure. The Saturn Uranus square remains in orb into the new year but they’re drifting apart and will be out of orb by the time Mars stations direct in January 2023. However, Uranus stays conjunct the North Node until February so the early part of next year could still bring a few surprises. Winter has only just begun...
In December, we move from Sagittarius to Capricorn energy and shift our attention from the search for meaning and wider horizons to working on practical goals for success and self-mastery. Neptune, Uranus, Chiron, and Mars are still retrograde, although Neptune goes direct early in the month, followed by Chiron later. Mercury enters his retrograde shadow on 12th December and stations at the end of the month taking us into the New Year.
The Sun, Mercury, and Venus all start the month in Sagittarius, while Mars is retrograde in Gemini, and Jupiter is near the end of Pisces. Mercury enters Capricorn early in the month, followed by Venus mid-month. Then Jupiter returns to Aries for a final visit the day before the solstice when the Sun enters Capricorn. The Mars Neptune square finally moves out of orb in the middle of the month but will return in February 2023 after Mars has stationed direct in January, and makes its final square in March 2023.
On 8th December we have the Full Moon in Gemini and the peak of the Mars retrograde cycle when the Sun opposes Mars. The Full Moon sees the Sun in Sagittarius opposite the Moon conjunct retrograde Mars in Gemini, all in a T-square with Neptune. It’s a restless lunation with a great desire for movement and adventure and it may be tricky to channel that energy into something productive.
The Moon and Mars are hyperactive and irritable and there could be arguments, angry outbursts, or explosive feelings. Neptune could make this worse with confusion and addictive behaviour, as well as passive aggression and escapism. However, Saturn is also sextile the Sun and trine the Moon, giving the possibility for discipline and clarity through hard work.
Mercury is now in Capricorn which helps to keep you focused on reality and facts, while his conjunction to Venus in Sagittarius and square to Jupiter adds charm and confidence. Jupiter is also conjunct Neptune, and you may be able to channel your heightened sensitivity into creative projects or spiritual practice.
The Sun opposition to retrograde Mars becomes exact just over an hour after the Full Moon. This may represent a turning point in the retrograde cycle that brings clarity and helps you to rethink your goals and how you use your energy. If you’ve avoided change since the start of the Mars retrograde period in October, then this moment could bring a surprise or disruption to your plans.
Mars stations direct on 12th January 2023 when you can act on the changes you need to make. Or you may start to make progress on any changes you’ve already made before then. However, since Mercury is still retrograde at that point, you may find there are delays to progress until the middle of January.
On 21st December we have the Winter solstice in the northern hemisphere when the Sun enters Capricorn while square Jupiter in Aries and Neptune in Pisces. Mercury and Venus are also conjunct in Capricorn and trine Uranus, while Mercury also sextiles Neptune, and Venus squares Chiron.
The Capricorn energy feels serious and reserved and your thinking may be more structured and ambitious, driven by a desire for order and self-mastery. The square from Jupiter adds self-confidence, but the square from Neptune may undermine your ambition, or ask that you dedicate your efforts to others and self-transcendence.
Meanwhile, the Sagittarian Moon is optimistic and cheerful, forming a restless opposition to retrograde Mars, while trine Jupiter and Chiron. Jupiter reinforces the Moon’s desire to have fun and be spontaneous but the Capricorn planets have work to do so you may just feel irritable. But the trine to Mercury and Venus from Uranus also adds a desire for freedom so you should be able to make constructive changes that open up the Capricorn area of your chart.
On 23rd, the New Moon in Capricorn is square Jupiter in Aries and Neptune in Pisces, while Mercury conjunct Venus in Capricorn still trines Uranus. Mercury also conjuncts Pluto and sextiles Neptune, and Venus also squares Chiron. Retrograde Mars is only sextile Chiron, while Jupiter sextiles Pluto.
This lunation has almost the same configuration as the solstice but the Moon is now in Capricorn and no longer opposite Mars, and Mercury is conjunct Pluto. The energy is heavier and has shifted away from the restlessness of Sagittarius so it may feel less uncomfortable and scattered. Pluto adds depth to your thinking and helps to uncover hidden motivations and insight into your psychology.
This moment has great potential as a new beginning if you can avoid the pitfalls of over-confidence and self-deception from Jupiter and Neptune. You may be able to expand your awareness and find opportunities for spiritual realisation and self-transcendence. But you also need to keep your feet on the ground and the Capricorn stellium should help with that.
Finally, Mercury stations retrograde in Capricorn on 29th in a triple conjunction with Venus and Pluto, while sextile the Moon conjunct Neptune in Pisces. The Moon is also conjunct Jupiter in Aries, while Jupiter sextiles Pluto, and the Sun squares the stellium of Moon, Neptune and Jupiter, and trines Uranus.
Mercury will now move back over the same degrees that he has travelled since 12th December when he entered his shadow, and this may undo some of your plans and intentions from the New Moon. Disruptions could occur in the Capricorn area of your chart, encouraging you to rethink practical issues around your work and ambitions, depending on the house placement. This isn’t a sign of failure, just that you need to be sure of your goals.
Mercury will reach the halfway point in his cycle at the inferior conjunction with the Sun on 7th January 2023 when you can plant seeds and intentions for the changes you need to make. Mercury stations direct on 18th January.
Here’s a breakdown of the month by date:
1 Dec – Venus opposite Mars
2 Dec – Mercury square Neptune, Venus sextile Saturn
4 Dec – Neptune stations direct at 22° Pisces, Sun trine Chiron, Venus square Neptune
6 Dec – Mercury square Jupiter, Mercury enters Capricorn
8 Dec – Full Moon at 16° Gemini, Sun opposite Mars retrograde
9 Dec – Venus square Jupiter
10 Dec – Venus enters Capricorn
12 Dec – Sun sextile Saturn
14 Dec – Sun square Neptune
15 Dec – Mercury square Chiron, Mercury trine true north node
17 Dec – Mercury trine Uranus
19 Dec – Venus square Chiron, Mars retrograde sextile Chiron
20 Dec – Venus trine true north node, Jupiter enters Aries
21 Dec – Sun enters Capricorn (Winter solstice)
22 Dec – Sun square Jupiter, Venus trine Uranus
23 Dec – Chiron stations direct at 11° Aries, New Moon at 1° Capricorn
25 Dec – Mercury sextile Neptune
28 Dec – Venus sextile Neptune
29 Dec – Mercury stations retrograde at 24° Capricorn, Mercury retrograde conjunct Venus at 24° Capricorn
Note: these dates are for GMT/UT. Check the details for your time zone at Astro-Seek where you can also look at the charts for all the alignments.
Get ready for 2023 with a copy of Astro Journal 2023 – available in paperback, Kindle, and EPUB! It contains interpretations for all the major transits for the year and monthly delineations that go into more detail than what you see in this post. You can get the paperback or Kindle from Amazon here, or the EPUB from my Payhip store here.
More info on Astro Journal 2023 here.
Image: Cabin