December begins with a New Moon in the optimistic, expansive, and playful sign, Sagittarius. The season of Holidays is always a time when people enjoy social gatherings and sharing hopeful ideologies. In our social exchanges, perspectives can change on review.
This month, the planets that are representative of important communication of ideas and values, of group decisions and plannings, and of initiating the larger overview of what is being developed, will slowdown, and retract their energies. They will have multiple meetings that will allow time to develop the best plan.
Retrograde action brings reversals and changes of direction. This means that the planets appear to stop and reverse direction for a period and then redirect back on their forward path. This happens because of the differing speeds and distances of the observer and the object. In the processes of our lives, we can experience these planetary influences.
Mercury, the planet of ideas, information, commerce, intelligence, surveillance, and data gathering and finding meaning through analysis, turned retrograde November 25th. Over the course of Mercury’s path this month, it moves in opposition to Jupiter with them each in the other’s territory, and in retrograde motion.
This is like they are trading places and sharing similarities of perspective and examination of both detail and broad scope of attention and assimilation of information. They will do this twice this month because Mercury’s inner planet cycles are only 22 days in retrograde compared to Jupiter’s 119 days retrograde, or just over four months.
November 12, just following the Presidential Election, was the first opposition of these planets of decision-making and judging information in which we are expecting Truth. The second Mercury-Jupiter opposition occurs December 4th when both Mercury and Jupiter are retrograde, suggesting a re-evaluation of many decisions and choices made based on outcomes of the election, or the resulting options of changes inherent to the processes of the transition of government personnel, choices of allies, and advisors.
Then December 6 to 7 has several astrological events. Most important is Mars, the planet of action stations retrograde at 6 degrees Leo, connecting with the North Node of the USA chart. This is a point of destiny of the Nation, signifying deeply collective shifts. The power and influence of Mars in Leo, symbolizes the Hero, or at least the archetype of a proud warrior. Mars is still very strongly in opposition to Pluto, which has just made its final ingress into Aquarius, the sign of brotherhood, collaboration, and cooperation, initiating a new era for humanity.
Also on the sixth, Venus, the pacifist, enters Aquarius. Mercury in retrograde repeats the square to Saturn, which first occurred on November 12, as Saturn was stationing direct motion, initiating discussions, decision-making, and major choices within the current Administration and the transition team of the in-coming Administration. Now, Mercury is in the zone of the Sun where is it not visible in the sky. It is gathering information, reviewing the records, and still in analysis mode under the Sun’s beams.
Another slow planet, Neptune stations direct on December 7th, as Venus conjuncts Pluto, and the Sun and Mercury together opposes Jupiter. These energies combining are the gentler, more compassionate planets that negotiate and lean toward disarmament rather than drawing a hard line.
Pluto is about great power and strong influences on the masses. Pluto is also associated with great wealth, control, and domination. The term Plutocrat refers to the Billionaire Class. Energetically Pluto reflects the type of forces which can potentially transform and bring rebirth and regeneration, like the power of volcanos, and the force of major hurricanes. This shift of this slow planet’s sign transit portends the greater shift of humanity in abilities and expansion of consciousness, if used for good.
Mars by opposition is energetically like putting up a fight, the insistence of one’s demands, and it can take actions and responses swiftly to extremes of destruction and devastation when facing off with Pluto. The two forces are what is expected in any military confrontation, but now, this current age provides the temptation to insert nuclear potential into threats that can change the world forever if unleashed with evil intentions.
We might hold hope for conflicts to not go to extremes by the first quarter Moon phase on December 8th, in compassionate Pisces. Venus, the planet that soothes and pacifies heat has ingressed into Aquarius and is passing over Pluto, giving an emollient theme of rational connectivity to the combination of energies and allowing the space to review values. The second week of the month is quieter as we reach a period of deliberation with less feeling of intensity.
The Full Moon in Gemini on December 15 occurs a short distance past Jupiter. The same day, Mercury at 6 Sagittarius, stations direct, just in time for the meeting of the Electoral College on December 17. Mercury is primarily relative to process of the counting, the registration and calling out the State-by-State votes for the Presidency. There should not be surprises in the election outcome at this point.
The Winter Solstice on December 22 marks the turning of the season as a final quarter of the year. The Moon this day will be in Mercury’s sign, Virgo contributing to the important first quarter phase of the Jupiter—Saturn cycle, which was initiated on Winter Solstice 2020. Jupiter and Saturn are the business planets. They support expansion or limit growth and development, both biologically, economically. In business, and or, government, these planets can work together giving support, or by hindering, undermining, causing delays and limitations, and be the cause of breakdowns, loss, and collapse of systems or structures. They have their second square on the 24th, Christmas Eve.
On the 26th, Mercury now direct, repeats its opposition to Jupiter and a few hours later, Mercury repeats its square to Saturn showing us the result of many meetings, reviews, and decisions of the month. December slips by with many closings of interplanetary cycles. We finish 2024 on the edge of new evolutionary developments coming in the Spring months of 2025.
Looking just ahead, Mars will station direct on January 6th, the day set for the Congressional Certification Vote of the Presidential Election. Mars will again be tightly opposite Pluto, giving a sense of strength and forward progression, setting the stage for the Inauguration on January 20.
Next month’s article will take a quick overview of the changing energies of 2025. Thank you to all who read and follow this column. I wish us all Peace and good Health.
Many Blessings to All. Happy Holidays.
Norma Jean Ream