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December kicks off with a Full Moon at 13° Gemini. This is a treacherous decan, associated with trickery, oppression, and the subtleties of jesters and jugglers. As this is the culmination of what began on the New Moon in Scorpio last month, this suggests that the outward violence hinted at by that lunation has moved into a more insidious kind of conflict. There is a strong potential for assassinations and double crosses. The Moon herself opposes Mars in Sagittarius by sign, and is within ten degrees of being overcome by Saturn in Pisces. These two aspects perfect during the early morning hours of December 5^th, and she finds herself enclosed by the rays of the Malefics between 6:34 and 9:00 am. It is advisable to leave any serious travel or major business until the afternoon, and pay attention to health issues involving the extremities, as well as the lungs.

On the 6^th, Mercury in Scorpio will trine Jupiter in Cancer. This is a very emotional, communicative aspect. We may find ourselves in long, deep conversations about philosophy and matters of the heart. This is an opportunity to look at what “love under will” means to us in our lived experience, rather than as a resonant religious platitude.

Mars will meet Saturn in a somewhat chaotic square on the 8^th. Both are peregrine at °25 of their respective signs. Saturn, slow and unfocused, Mars fast and scattershot, with Mars overcoming. This will give newly direct Saturn a bit of a preview of the sort of environment he’s moving back into when he ingresses once more into Aries, though he resents it. Reluctant capitulations on the part of authority are a possibility.

Neptune continues his last dance with Saturn when he stations direct on December 10^th, at °29 Pisces. Their on again off again rendezvous is one factor in the erratic behavior of many authority figures during these past months. We eagerly await the end of the strange dreams brought on by the close interaction of these two powers.

Mercury, now direct in Scorpio, once again faces off with Uranus in Taurus. He has a clearer idea of the territory this time around, and this is a much better time to consider what actions to take in preparation for the ingress of Uranus into Gemini next year.

This is a passing look, however, as Mercury enters Sagittarius on the 11^th. This ingress sees him applying to a conjunction with Venus, which will do much to mitigate his limited powers in one of his signs of detriment.

The 15^th is a much better day for Mars, when he enters his exaltation sign of Capricorn. The past week has been difficult for him, given the aforementioned square. This loosening up of restrictions will aid him in initiating action. Before he enters the Sun’s beams in January, this is a decent time for Martial workings.

On the 16^th, the Sun at °25 Sagittarius will square Saturn in Pisces. Squares between the Sun suggest conflicts between two kinds of authority: the Sun that wants to give people the resources to shine, and Saturn, who wants to make sure everyone stays in line. Neither on of them is particularly strong in the signs they are occupying, though the Sun has triplicity rulership by day. He also has the advantage of being in the overcoming position of the square, occupying as he does the sign that is earlier in zodiacal order. On the other hand, he is also in the midst of both the bounds and face ruled by Saturn in Sagittarius. This suggests a standoff where the Sun has the higher ground, but Saturn ultimately gains control of the territory. A stalemate between cooperative visions of power and authoritarian motivations seems a likely result.

Our second Lunation of the month is the New Moon at °28 Sagittarius, on December 19^th. The Picatrix gives the image for this decan as “a man with a cap on his head, who is murdering another man,” and associates it with “evil desires” and “hatred, dispersion and evil effects.” Agrippa is hardly sunnier, but we need not belabor the point. All this happens in the same neighborhood as the Sun and Saturn square mentioned above. It suggests that the influences above happen in the context of some rather insidious machinations.

Venus enters the fray when she also squares Saturn on the 22^nd. There is a sense of many more expansive, positive forces bearing down on Saturn at this time. The picture that this puts in my mind is that of an authority figure being called to account from many angles, though still able to use subterfuge to avoid punishment.

The Sun inaugurates Winter as he enters Capricorn on the 21^st, with Venus following close behind on Christmas Eve.

December ends with a final planet, Mercury, squaring Saturn on the 30^th. The keyword here, I think, is “disclosure.” Things may come to light that reinforce matters implicated by this parade of squares.

Since the Moon is the planet closest to the earth, and translates the light and influence of the other wanderers, we begin our discussion of the astrology of September with the New Moon in Virgo on August 22^nd. She is in the very earliest minutes of the first degree of the sign. This decan combines the influence of the Sun with the discrimination of the Virgin. The Sun’s light illuminates the choices to be made and the practical considerations to keep in mind. It is fitting, then, to find 8 of Pentacles, or Prudence, associated with this decan. Both the Picatrix and Agrippa agree that this is a place of sowing, plowing, the gathering of grapes, and general wealth and good living. At this lunation, the Moon finds herself free of any harm from Saturn and Mars, and in a beneficial sextile by sign with Jupiter in Cancer that will perfect in on Sunday the 24^th. This provides a rather more healthy foundation for the month than has been the case in the past few months.

On the 25^th of August, Venus enters Leo. She is moving fast, and is likely to be impatient to get things moving in the areas she is in charge of. Peregrine for most of the time in this sign, she may find herself adrift and rather apt to be put off by the behaviour of others. Mundanely, the arts, women’s issues, as well as finance can be very prominent, but without much lasting effect. A trine with Saturn gives this Venus ingress a restricted feeling, perhaps with some degree of force.

August 28^th, Uranus in Gemini will sextile a retrograde Neptune in Aries. Expect some wildly imaginative exchanges, and perhaps the emergence of a particularly unusual piece of “fake news,” or an unexpected development in technology, especially AI.

With the beginning of September proper, Saturn will retrograde back into Pisces. This will herald the revisiting of many of the issues that we saw during his first run through the sign. Maritime accidents as well as weather anomalies are likely.

Mercury enters his own sign of Virgo on the 2^nd. This is also his exaltation, so he is particularly happy here. His mental energies find grounding and focus. He is rather well situated at this ingress. The rays of the malefics do not harm him, and he is diurnal.  A square from Uranus might make him a bit wild, however.

Mars in Libra squares Jupiter in Cancer on the evening of the 4^th. While this is uncomfortable, Jupiter is overcoming, being in the 10^th sign from Mars. Adding to his strength in this match up, he is still exalted. The relationship looks like some superior individual stepping in to manage a tense negotiation before the hot heads blow everything up.

Uranus stations retrograde in Gemini on the 6^th. Having given us a preview of the sort of havoc he intends to wage over the next few years, he will begin his slow crawl back into Taurus. He remains there from November of this year to April of 2026.

September’s Full Moon brings a total Lunar Eclipse on the 8^th at 15° Pisces. Eclipses always announce big changes in some area. This month’s set of eclipses is one of the first to fully occur in the opposing signs of Virgo and Pisces. Whereas the Libra/Aries axis tends to focus on conflict versus reconciliation, Virgo/Pisces tends to be about boundaries, emotion versus reason, as well as border disputes and trade negotiations. This eclipse takes place in the 2^nd decan of Pisces, which is Ruled by Jupiter, giving it a doubly Jovan quality. This bodes well for the changes occurring at this time, as Jupiter will still be in his exaltation in Cancer.

On the 17^th, Mercury will oppose retrograde Saturn. This reprises an opposition in 2023 that saw Donald Trump indicted for criminal conspiracy. A second opposition in December of 2024 saw the assassination of United Health Care CEO Brian Thompson. In retrogrades, events tend to be revisited, so we may see a reopening or rethinking of both of these events, though this need not be in the realm of law. It may simply be in the public imagination that we see these issues resurface.

Mercury enters Libra on the 18^th. After his battles with Saturn, this may provide some much needed peace in communications. The next day, Venus enters Virgo. They are in aversion to each other now, though in one another’s signs. This is always an awkward situation for the planets involved. They know they are in one another’s homes, but they can’t contact each other except through an intermediary. Sadly, the Moon isn’t in a position to translate the light between them, and Mercury himself is the planet we would normally look to after the Moon to do that work. The situation is similar to people who have agreed to swap homes for a vacation, and they are both of the range of a cellular service. They know the other person is in their home, but they can’t get a hold of them if there’s an emergency, or even to make sure the other got into town okay. They have to rely on assuming the best of the other, which is always a bit of a challenge. Miscommunications and awkward interactions are apt to proliferate.

Our earlier Lunar Eclipse is mirrored by a partial Solar one on the 21^st. The Sun falls under the Moon’s shadow at 28° Virgo. Contrasting the rather hopeful tone of the Lunation, this decan is associated with old age and infirmity, as well as the destruction of peoples. It’s a reaping decan rather than a planting one. It suggests that the Eclipse will herald the end of something more than a beginning, though it need not be totally negative. Eclipses often impact the leaders of nations more than the average person. We might see something that has become rotten start to fall apart for good.

The day after the Lunar Eclipse, on the 22^nd, Mars enters his domicile of Scorpio, and the Sun enters Libra, the sign of his fall. Mars is a nocturnal planet, and this is his nocturnal sign. Though still malefic, in Scorpio he is likely to provide situations of conflict that produce insights in their aftermath, rather than wanton carnage. He is in a sextile with Venus in Virgo, who, though weak, may sweeten his mood a bit.

The sun in his fall wants to negotiate rather than stand his ground. He may find this a frustrating proposition when he opposes retrograde Neptune the next day. We could see leaders struggling to establish boundaries, or treating them with a cavalier attitude.

Finally, on the 24^th, Mars in Scorpio will enter a tense square with Pluto in Aquarius. This speaks to a deep need for change in power structures, and an unwillingness on the part of either side to budge on any principles. Pluto is retrograde, and looks to the past for solutions. Mars, deeply dissatisfied, yearns to move beyond the superficial changes of the past.

The New Moon of July 24^th sets the tone for the first part of the month. She is in the early degrees of Leo, where she is peregrine. A trine from a grumpy Saturn in Aries is helpful only so far as it indicates that authority figures may give begrudging aid. The first decan of Leo is ruled by Saturn, so there is some extra communication there. This decan is associated with great strength and generosity, but also with “violence, wickedness, and cruelty” according to Agrippa. It may give a better idea of this decan to contemplate its associated Tarot card, the Five of Wands or strife.

On the 29^th, Venus entered the first decan of Cancer. This is a place where she enjoys a threefold rulership, by Triplicity, Term, and Face. These are considered “minor” dignities compared to Rulership and Exaltation, though it is well to remember that these allegedly lesser honors were once dignity systems unto themselves. The Two of Cups is the card for this decan, and both the Picatrix and Agrippa concur that it is a place of love, subtlety, mastery, and wit.

The conjunction of Mercury and the Sun on July 30^th marks the midpoint of Mercury’s retrograde cycle. He will station direct on the 10^th, and begin to traverse his shadow, tying up loose ends left from his trip backwards.

In August proper, we see Mars entering Libra, the sign of his detriment, on the 6^th. He will be applying to a square with his domicile lord, Venus, and in opposition to Saturn, the exaltation lord of Libra. He may find himself chafing at rules and social niceties. Best to expect some conflict over boundaries around this time. Venus is in the superior position, however, so love is likely to win out over what will look like adolescent rebellion.

A confrontational opposition between Mars and Saturn on the 8^th may exacerbate these issues. It is a showdown between two planets in Fall. This could indicate a stalemate, resulting in not much getting resolved.

August 2^nd sees a Full Moon at 17° Aquarius. In the second decan of Aquarius, the energy here is one of intellect and wisdom. The Six of Wands, or Science, is the Tarot card. In the Terms of Jupiter and the Face of Mercury, this decan speaks of fulfillment and intelligence, but also modesty. It is a good time to reflect and receive messages from higher spheres.

Mercury’s direct station occurs at 4° Leo on the 10^th. He will be traversing the same battle ground that the Moon found herself in at the New Moon. He will be trine Saturn and Sextile mars. This may see a détente in the hostilities indicated by war dance of the Malefics.

Venus and Jupiter meet at 14° Cancer on the 11^th. If there is a day to deepen bonds of commitment and love, it is today. With Jupiter and his exaltation and Venus ruling by Triplicity during the day, we are apt to see a great deal of concord between allies. Though, as has been the case for many weeks, dour Saturn will lend a somber tone to these meetings. Some may find themselves blocked in their efforts, with matters being resolved more easily by day than night. Before the New Moon on the 23^rd, the skies are rather quiet. The Sun enters Virgo on the 22^nd, heralding the advent of Fall and the time of discernment and harvest.

Selene finds herself in her own sign of Cancer for the New Moon on June 25. This Lunation occurs in the first decan of the sign, associated with love, wit, acuteness of the senses, and a subtleness of intelligence. She is further bonified by a conjunction with exalted Jupiter. They meet, however, under the dour and aggravated gaze of Saturn in Aries. It is a tense standoff, with Saturn having the upper hand, but the indications are good for a gentler approach to overcome or divert stern authority.

On the 29^th, Mercury, having just lately entered Leo, will oppose Pluto in Aquarius. As with the New Moon, there are indications that big and loud might not be the winning strategy. Mercury is mostly peregrine in Leo, but the magnanimity of the environment he finds himself in can bring a certain skill in flattery and the ability to sidestep conflicts with compliments. When you’re facing off with the biggest, baddest kind of authority, sometimes appealing to ego is your best bet.

Venus leaves home for Gemini on the 4^th, where she isn’t particularly strong, but at this ingress she is free from serious affliction by the malefics. In fact, she’s in a rather helpful sextile from Saturn, which may reign in some of the erratic tendencies a planet can have in Gemini.

On the same day, Neptune will station retrograde, promising to confuse and obfuscate Saturn and his goals. His ability to aid Venus is somewhat limited by an acute shortsightedness, and a tendency to imagine problems to solve. The pairing may be more one of mutual damage control than a productive partnership.

On the 7^th, Uranus leaves Taurus for the first time since March of 2019, the last time his retrograde took him back into Aries. This is an initial ingress, as Uranus will return to Taurus between November of this year and April of 2026. An initial ingress is a kind of preview for what is to come during the main transit. If past transits are any indication, this will bring an intensification of political turmoil and some fundamental restructuring of society. At this point, speculation on the details can only bring more stress, especially with a strong Neptune contact involved. We should take care not to fall into catastrophizing.

The Full Moon falls in industrious Capricorn on the 10^th. This is a prudent and mindful decan. A helpful trine from the exaltation lord of the sign gives the moon some energy, though Mars is not well placed in Virgo. Productive, but in small things.

July 13 to 19 marks a week of retrogrades. Saturn turns back on the 13, and on the 14^th runs directly into Neptune’s sea of confusion. He’ll be there for some time, so, again, imagination will tend to color situations as much more dire than they are. Which, of course, makes them much more dire than they would be.

Mercury stations on the 18^th, to spend more time in Leo. At his turning, he’s in a sextile with Venus. Sweet words could save a situation where things weren’t quite understood the first time.

On the 22, the Sun enters his home sign of Leo, heralding the height of summer.

The next day, Venus in Gemini will square Mars in Leo. She is in the superior position in this face off, being in the earlier sign. Lending her a bit more strength in the conflict, she is aspecting her current ruler, Mercury, by sextile where Mars is in aversion to him. The reinforces the theme of gentler, more mindful communication where the impulse might be to “go off.”

Our Lunations for June set a mutable tone for the month, with the New Moon in Gemini on May 26, and the Full Moon in Sagittarius June 11th. Luna makes a close conjunction to a very dignified Mercury this New Moon and receives a looser but potentially grounding sextile from Saturn. The practical Saturn is conjunct dreamy Neptune, and may aid in bringing more ephemeral fantasies to fruition. She is in the first decan of Gemini for this Lunation, carrying associations of science and skill with numbers, but also “arts in which there is no profit” according to Agrippa.

Mercury himself is headed for his Cazimi debriefing, meeting with the Sun on the 30th. Meetings with the Sun are always a bit fraught. Fifteen degrees on either side of the conjunction, a planet is singed and obscured by the Sun’s rays. At the conjunction, it is considered to be in the lap of the king, and bonified by the contact. Since this meeting occurs in Gemini, Mercury’s home sign, he is in what was known as his “Chariot,” protected from the most punishing effects of combustion. This is more of meeting of two honored sovereigns than an unwelcome visit by the king when one is wandering far from home. 

Venus enters Taurus on the 6th. She is coming home after a tiring journey (and battle) in Aries. The parts of individual charts touched by her presence will be wanting comfort, good food, and maybe a low-key sort of party. Nothing over the top, just a nice gathering with wine, music, and friends. She will be good for elections for most of June and the beginning of July. 

Two planets enter Cancer, over the course of two days. On the 8th, Mercury leaves the airy environs of his home sign for the emotional waters where he is mostly adrift, peregrine for all but Cancer’s middle degrees. As he slows down and enters his retrograde shadow at the end of the month, this could be a period of confusing or emotionally distorted communications. 

The next day, June 9th, Jupiter experiences quite a different reversal of fortunes. From one of his least favorite signs, Gemini, he enters the sign of his exaltation when he makes ingress into Cancer. He will be taking over his summer home for a year, and will be particularly useful in choosing auspicious times for inceptions and magic, though only for the first half of the month. On the 15th, he will receive a square from Saturn, and be out of commission until this dour contact passes. 

The Full Moon on the 11th occurs in the 3rd decan of Sagittarius. It seems the intelligence suggested by the New Moon has been used to malign ends. This decan carries associations with murder and, in the Picatrix, “evil desires, adverse and evil effects, and fickleness in these and evil wishes, hatred, and dispersion, and evil conduct.” A culmination, for the worst, involving technology, is suggested. A fiery trine with Mars in Leo points to some act of violence.

A few days later, on June 15th, Mars will cast his iron gaze at Uranus in Gemini, in a tense square that promises conflict and disruption. This is complimented by Jupiter’s own affliction from Saturn. Though the two configurations don’t interact much with each other, the overall tone of the end of the month indicates seemingly intractable conflict. Exalted Jupiter may be a mitigating factor, as well as the loose but still relevant applying sextile from Venus in her domicile. 

This tension may lessen when Mars enters Virgo on the 17th. With the most agitating malefic out of the way, matters could go from boiling to simmering.

Jupiter will still be dealing with buzzkill Saturn when Neptune in Aries complicates things with darkening dreams on the 18th. The planet of fantasy and delusion will move closer to Saturn, and into a square with Jupiter, just when the latter was getting used to a little disappointment. Wild speculation and the exacerbation of an already erratic market are strong possibilities.

The Sun enters Cancer on the 20th, inaugurating summer. He will proceed to burn Jupiter for a bit, culminating in a Cazimi on the 24th. After a time in the purifying flames, Jupiter will feel the pressure lessen a bit.