Fire in Our Belly

During December’s darkly deep days, do you ever feel like a little mole running from point to point, reaching for light and warmth? This annual time of slowing down to frozen stillness marks the final calendar month of autumn, our passage into winter. Yet, a fire stirs in our belly as this month begins.

The festive Leo Moon aligns beautifully to Motivating Mars and the Sun in Sagittarius December 1st and 2^nd, a Friday and Saturday.  This first weekend of December is terrific for all holiday events, shopping, and creativity.  After the really tough slog of 2023, we feel lighthearted and JOYFUL.  There is an air of optimism and hope which has been absent until recently.  Bring on the JOY, sparks this cosmic alignment.

Traveling together in sagacious Sagittarius for the better part of December, the Mars-Sun duo prompts our adventurous side, to explore, to learn, to understand.  Sagittarius rules all manner of education, whether arduous academia or the school of hard knocks.  There is an expansive, don’t fence me in, I’ve gotta be me- I’ve gotta be free, energy now of searching for the truth, the veritable meaning of life.  We’re on a quest, a journey perhaps spiritual, existential, an actual long-distance trek, or all of the above.  We may not know the destination; and for some, that’s as exhilarating as it is worrisome.

We know individually and collectively we cannot stay put or stay the same; and to even try to will feel like swimming against a stiff rip tide.  Ask yourself:  is stubborn resistance really how you want to spend your energy?  Instead, what does it feel like when you flow rather than fight?

Better to flow with the strong current, enhanced by an in-flux of water energy now.  On Tuesday, December 5^th Valuable Venus shifts into psychological Scorpio, aligning with Saturn; while the very next day, spiritual Neptune turns direct motion.   The tide of our lives is turning.  Our intuitive spidey senses tingle and sharpen.  We feel what is accurate, honest, right-on. Especially with any relationships.  Even if others claim that you are wrong, this is not the time to ignore your gut instincts.  If you need evidence or proof of your intuition’s accuracy, ask for a sign.  Then listen, watch, wait for it. 

Pay attention to song lyrics, repeating messages, dreams, animal messengers, and more. Each sign points us to what we already know way deep down in our heart center:  that we must follow our own personal truth now, to harken toward our most authentic path.  To do otherwise would be to lie. Three planets in water signs clarify and distill, clear up any confusion; while Mars-Sun in fiery Sagittarius demand honesty, that we honor the law, be it the law of our own soul path, earthly legal parameters, or cosmic and karmic laws. As above, so below. 

The quest for truth, honesty and freedom are emphasized by the New Moon in Sagittarius on Tuesday, December 12^th.  All New Moons mark beginnings. December’s New Moon is especially potent as Motivating Mars joins the Sun-Moon duo.  Mars drives the point home.  We are held to account.  Are you skating by, following someone else’s idea for how you should live?  Or are you honoring the law of your spirit, answering the call of your heart and soul?

The same goes for the literal law.  Any on-going or outstanding legal matters move forward now.  Courts of law will be especially busy.  Watch for key rulings to be handed down at mid-month.  Some may feel radically exposed, like they’ve been caught red-handed, or with their pants down. You have nothing to fear if you are living above board.  But for those trying to skirt the system, guess again.

Underscoring Accountability with a capital A is Messenger Mercury turning retrograde in austere Capricorn, happening on the day after the New Moon to boot!  Capricorn rules the great, cosmic ledger, spelling it out in black and white:  you either did it or you didn’t; you either have it or you don’t; you either are or you are not.  There is absolutely no fudging answers now.  Pure integrity and honor are required.  

If you haven’t played fair and square, thought you could get away with something, this planetary combination has other ideas for you.  The Sagittarius Mars-Sun-Moon troika holds court, trial by jury while Messenger Mercury is the enforcer, hands down the verdict.  You will have until the end of the month and year to sit with the outcome and reflect:  how could I live more truthfully, soulfully, honorably?

On a far more mundane, day-to-day level, please note:  do your holiday shopping early, before mid-December.  This is not the holiday season you want to wait until the last minute to purchase gifts.  If you missed Black Friday deals, take advantage of any pre-holiday sales during the first ten days of December before Mercury turns retrograde on the 12^th.  This includes purchasing any electronics, phones, tablets, laptops OR booking travel plans.  Book flight, hotel, and auto reservations in early December. 

Otherwise, this is one time Mercury’s retrograde comes at a relatively convenient time.  As we approach the winter solstice and the holiday season, life shifts into low gear.  We naturally turn inward during the colder, darker months.  Their onset encourages the RE words indicative of Mercury’s retrograde:  reflection, reclaim, renewal, rebalance, refresh, return, restore, review, relax…

Slow down and gather yourself in during the second half of December, from the 12^th through New Years Day.  Conveniently, Mercury turns direct motion on January 2, 2024 as we kick into overdrive, back to work, life and school.  Until then, though, watch your words, give others the benefit of the doubt, and practice patience navigating the notorious snafus and technical glitches that are the hallmark of Mercury’s reverse gear.

We wade into the darkest hours of the year, marked by the winter solstice on Friday, December 22^nd. The Sun enters responsible Capricorn, joining Mercury, with both aligning to Jupiter and the Taurus Moon, infusing highly constructive energy.  Pay attention to messages and announcements this holiday weekend, especially as we approach the Full Moon on Tuesday, December 26^th.   

Gathering together, the family-oriented Cancer Full Moon reminds us of what is truly important in a world filled with so much uncertainty.  Loved ones, whether blood related or chosen, our health, home, prospects for a brand new year ahead, are indeed what matter most now.  Reconnect to all that fills your cup, gives you joy, and sparks gratitude.  

Just a few days later on December 29^th, Valuable Venus shifts into Sagittarius joining Mars and Mercury.  We seek answers, ideas and people who expand us.  Anyone or thing that feels constraining or limiting just won’t do, stand or last very long.  The planetary power trio is greatly emphasized by Jupiter’s turning direct motion two days later on the 31^st.  Rest assured this shift is most definitely divinely timed rather than coincidental.  The ruler of Sagittarius and planet of learning, education, travel, prosperity and growth, Jupiter points us toward a fresh slate. 

We bear witness to one of the most significant shifts in the history of mankind now:  a collective heart opening.  We chose to live during this time.  While the old ways are devolving now, endlessly rich possibilities abound if we dare to look around.  Are you excited or intimidated by the opportunities ahead in 2024?  Be sure to align with what can be, rather than what once was.

Of Special Note:

Two astrologers are better than one!  Fellow astrologer Jill Jardine joins me on Mystical Messages podcast to share our 2024 astrology forecasts.  We break down the first six months of the year ahead. The episode drops Friday, December 15^th on Google, Apple and Spotify.