We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident
December 2022Even in the midst of my frustration, I had to laugh as I started writing the December forecast, the last and final forecast for tumultuous 2022. Like a hangover, I felt the same energies at play that linger through the first half of December. Dazed and confused. Blocked and seeking a way forward. In search of inspiration like water in a desert.
A slim line separates inspiration from escapism. Inspiration feels so hard to find while escapism (doing literally ANYthing except the task at hand) feels easy or desirable even. Rarely have I had such trouble diving into writing… welcome to Mars retrograde in Gemini! Starting anything is difficult now, especially that which involves communication, information exchange both delivering messages and hearing accurately. “Motivating” Mars is not so motivating right about now. Especially as it challenges Generous Jupiter and Neptune in dreamy Pisces opposing Venus-Mercury in Sagittarius.
Post-Thanksgiving, we feel oozy, bluesy and yes, a little whoozy. Our beliefs are turned inside out like they’ve been on a protracted carnival ride, the kind that makes your head spin and stomach churn. We’re not sure which end is up, what we believe, or what happened to plain and simple facts. All we want is relief and to run, run, run away.
Yet we know: wherever we go, there we are. December’s Sun in sagacious Sagittarius rules the law. Those who still insist on ignoring, resisting and flaunting what must be faced will only barrel right into the inescapable Truth, the laws of life and ourselves. Addicts or anyone with addictive tendencies, take heed.
To surrender rather than running away holds the key.
Surrender has become a dirty word in our modern lexicon, often misconstrued with losing; rather, surrender means to give way. Give way to make way. To allow. Only three days into December, the dam breaks when inspirational, dreamy, and yes, escapist Neptune turns direct motion on Saturday, December 3rd. We may have no choice but TO surrender.
At first, our confusion doesn’t dissipate entirely; but we feel a gentle intuitive pull forward. Something out there in the fog calls us. Blindly, we move toward a life raft. An idea. We still want to escape but we feel a calling. Perhaps a movie. No, not watching Netflix at home; instead, we actually get in our car and drive to a theatre, paying for a ticket to see a show. We’ve heard the movie is great, we love the star(s) headlining it, and can prolong our escape for a little while longer, deep in the dark.
The lights dim and the film rolls. We are sucked straight inside the story, the characters’ lives, and indelible images carved on our heart. We laugh. We cry. We feel inspired. The slim line dividing escapism and inspiration caves in. The lights switch on and we stand up. Moving out of the theatre into day light or street light, our urge to run away disappears. Somehow we leave the movie theatre totally changed, in a completely different head space than we arrived; at least enough to pick up our struggles wherever we left off, renewed and refreshed. Invigorated, we feel in the flow again.
This is Neptune: ruler of the oceans and tides. After many months retrograde, Neptune, planet of soul and spirituality, swirls us forward along the current of life’s river. Never following a straight line, life bobs and weaves us toward our soul’s destination.
Only three days later on Tuesday, December 6th, Messenger Mercury shifts into concrete Capricorn. Practical and down to earth, Capricorn offers grounding energy. Like a lighthouse beaming a beacon of hope in the dark, Mercury informs us what is real and realistic, what we can count on. Our minds and thoughts set firm limits and boundaries, lending ballast to what is otherwise a hall of smoke and mirrors.
We need every strong hold we can lay our hands on heading into the Full Moon late on Wednesday, December 7th. The cosmic spin doctor is having a field day making it tricky to discern reality from illusion. We are in the midst of holiday buying season so it is imperative to research any big ticket items you plan to purchase. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure to buy a warranty especially for anything mechanical or with a motor. Better yet, buy some time and wrap up a promissory note to put under the tree. If you can wait until the January or President’s Day sales to buy electronics, autos, appliances or technology devices, try to!
Illusion, delusion, and deception are watchwords the first week of December, culminating in the Gemini Full Moon conjoined to Mars retrograde. Opposite the Sagittarius Sun, all three challenge Jupiter-Neptune duo in Pisces. The glass looks full but it’s actually empty. Can you say mirage?
For many, disillusionment heightens as Mars retrograde digs up and turns over the most unexpected and revealing information (Gemini) that sheds light on actual facts. Those who have been denying truth may find themselves struggling to justify and come to terms with the reality of matters. When this happens, despair and despondency proliferate. Hypocrisy and duplicity rule the day. Watch for people talking out of both sides of their mouths, walking both sides of the street (especially in politics) as we whirl fast around inside the cosmic spin cycle. Left is right and right is wrong. Everybody’s trying to have it their way or no way at all.
A very good thing then that Valuable Venus follows Mercury’s lead when she turns into Capricorn on Friday, December 9th, giving us two solid legs to stand on. We draw lines in the sand and chart a course. Clear direction begins to take shape. From firmer footing, we build lasting relationships, earning potential, opportunities and talents. Finally.
By mid-month, the Moon cycles into efficient Virgo forming a grand earth alliance with Uranus-North node in Taurus and Venus-Mercury in Capricorn. These create a solid touchstone steering us toward healthy and productive uses of our time. Consciously choose activities that offer tangible results.
Driving us forward, Generous Jupiter rolls into fiery Aries on Tuesday, December 20th. And just like that, we have no time to waste. We feel a fire in our belly and under our feet. Enough of that dilly-dallying from November and early December. We have s#%t to do already! Christmas is upon us and we feel under the gun with preparations, cooking, wrapping, still shopping… Before you press the pedal to the metal, the Sun enters austere Capricorn, marking the Winter Solstice on Wednesday, December 21st.
Not so fast, the Sun warns.
Joining Pluto, Mercury and Venus, the Capricorn Sun acts like a giant brake to the otherwise heedless Jupiter eager to get on with things, all things, life in general, in a major push forward.
The New Moon in Capricorn on Friday, December 23rd has other plans. Both Sun and Moon challenge Jupiter. That’s five planets in Capricorn giving a hard no, hard pass to Jupiter’s lead foot on the gas pedal. Heading into the Christmas holiday weekend you may feel the urge to dive right in but friends and relatives may not be so inclined. Life itself may simply say no and throw up road blocks. At best, this planetary challenge is catalytic, to take action but in a practical way that everyone agrees about. Or at least the majority. The best way to use this push-and-pull energy is to take turns. Balance is key. One for me, one for you. Reciprocity.
Remember to set considered intentions on this real-deal New Moon. As we close out 2022, an indisputably arduous year, invite those gathering around you to hand-write three to five goals each seeks to manifest in the coming New Year of 2023. If we have learned anything over the last twelve months, it is to be more conscious and conscientious about our actions, and how we spend our energy and resources.
As if we needed an extra reminder, Messenger Mercury turns retrograde on Wednesday, December 28th. The New Year begins very slowly indeed with two interior planets, Mercury and Mars cycling retrograde motion until well into January 2023. A good thing then that we are deep into winter’s territory. Frozen, life slows down to a crawl. Capricorn rules time. Mercury retrograde RE minds us to use our words and time wisely. Use the post-holiday period deliberately. Nature and its natural hibernation cycles affords us a rich phase to dive deep and practice the RE words: restore, review, revisit, reclaim, research, rest and relax.
Because before you know it, our rest will end and we must push bravely forward again.
Of Special Note:
Want to know what’s up for 2023? Please join me on Thursday, December 7th @6-7 pm for an overview of the year ahead. Learn what to expect in the New Year and how best to navigate the blessings and curve balls. This event is hosted by Derith Cass, personal trainer, Founder/Coach of FIERCE by Choice. To register, please visit:
https://share.fitdegree.com/?share=635fbda8a0424
** The recording will be available if you can’t join live
ALSO: Tune into Mystical Messages podcast dropping on Friday, December 16th for my conversation with energy healer and teacher Djali of Djali Solutions. Djali clears clients of stuck energy, to become lighter and enthusiastic by teaching how to tune into and use their intuition to become their own energy pro. When the going gets tough, the tough turn to Djali!