New Year’s Resolutions!

What to expect: New Intentions
What to watch out for: Opportunity
What will it affect? Values, Faith, Beliefs, Patterns

Between Jan 2nd and 3rd, we have the right recipe for getting our intentions and New Year’s resolutions off the ground. Mercury is still retrograde, and will make a sextile to pattern recognition Pallas and magnetic Venus. Pallas and Venus are in spiritual Pisces and so we can access the deeper motivators and values that will help us change. An important part of change is recognizing what needs to change, but also recognizing what will replace it. For instance, when we decide to quit smoking, often have to replace the need to do something with our hands with something else. So the new non-smoker may chew on a minted toothpick or straw. They may crack open sunflower seeds all day. In other words, we need to replace the whole created by giving up an old behaviour with a new one. The good news is that both Venus and Pallas will sextile Mercury giving us a chance to re-place (a mercury retrograde key word) something that feels like it’s missing with what may actually be missing. What is actually missing you may ask? It may be missing pieces of our soul. Forget minted toothpicks and sunflower seeds. If you have felt something missing you can replace your addictions with wholeness by retrieving the parts of your soul. Venus moving into Pisces will help us. That’s because at this time we value transcendence. And we enjoy a deeper value placed on faith. And so we can imagine a new way of being and a completeness or oneness with ourselves and the universe.

Why? Mercury Sextile Venus, Mercury Entering Sagittarius, Venus Transiting Pallas

One step forward, two steps back, another step forward

What to expect: A move forward in relationships
What to watch out for: Fear reactions
What will it affect? Relationships, power issues, old wounds

Between the 5th and the 8th the focus is on relationships. Our close relationships can include a partnership in business, deep relationship or marriage. The first thing that will happen is a surge in the need to be spontaneous! But this might bring up insecurities as Chiron, square’s the marriage asteroid Juno and the Sun meet’s up with Pluto. The combination brings up old wounds, issues with power and codependence issues. But it’s also a good time for transformative experiences. So if power issues do come up in your relationships, give your coach or counsellor a call.

On Jan 8th Mercury will go direct in the last degrees of Sagittarius. We’ll get an extra boast of faith as we move forward and with Venus opposition the North Node, we will feel a push to move in the right direction.

Why? Uranus Trine Transiting Juno, Sun Conjunction Transiting Pluto, Chiron Square Transiting Juno, Mercury Stationary, Venus Opposition Transiting North Node

Dec 26 –  Dec 31

Freedom!

What to expect: Need to break away
What to watch out for: Throwing out the good too
What will it affect? New directions taken

On December 26 Jupiter will oppose Uranus. This is a ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’ type of energy. There is a need for freedom and to break free. On the 27th this energy is reinforced by Mars opposite the North Node when self assertive behaviours will be focused on breaking free of people, places and things that hold us back. On one hand this may be good if we are breaking free of something that has held us in chains, such as an addictive relationship. On the other hand, it may cause quite a bit of disruption.

There are good things happening on the 26th that will help to stabilize this energy. Mercury, in its retrograde motion, is connecting to the communication structures of the past though spirituality, visions and creativity as it connects to Neptune. We are also inspired by loving and nurturing values that center on humanity and freedom. Connecting with trusted leaders and advisors, even our spirit guides or guidance system will be beneficial at this time.

Why? Jupiter Opposition Uranus, Mars Opposition North Node, Mercury Sextile Neptune, Venus Sextile Ceres

Healthy Competition

What to expect: Competition
What to watch out for: Opportunities to compete
What will it affect? Motivation, direction, competitive spirit

On the 27th we get energized to start on a new project. The New Year is coming and this is great energy for putting our plans into action. We may also feel compelled to compete at something. Competitions are a great way to motivate yourself towards achieving a goal that you may be complacent towards otherwise. Competitions can take the form of writing competitions, athletic competitions, and award competitions for the best in a category, such as business or marketing. You may also consider offering a competition if you’re a company or business. Anything that challenges our competitive spirit and connects with others will be favoured now.

Why? Sun Trine  North Node, Sun Sextile  Mars

A Social Movement

What to expect: Looking at structures
What to watch out for: Hybrid opportunities
What will it affect? Social Change

By the 28th when Saturn squares Chiron, we will be breaking free from authority’s abusive patterns. Saturn is father, patriarch, authority and status quo and Chiron the teacher and healer. In business Saturn is doing an audit on laws, media, military, religious or belief institutions and higher education. Chiron has been in Pisces, being a teacher and healer in the realm of water (hence Standing Rock), shipping, fishing, oil (hence Standing Rock),drugs (hence the opioid crisis), advertising and sales, mysteries, hidden knowledge, firms and photography. These two square off for the first time and will be doing so again through 2017 (April 30 and Nov 2, 2017). This energy has been building all month and comes into sharp focus on the 28th. It wants us to look at structures and policies that are no longer working and bring healing into the areas connected by the two signs. Though difficult, this energy is very useful for coming up with hybrid approaches. The sun is connecting with mercury retrograde in Capricorn on the same day. It’s a day we can successfully renegotiate contracts and look at all structures related to communication and re-visit and revise. Mercury also makes a positive connection to Mars, helping us to be decisive and good with the technical details. It also provides useful energy for negotiations. The trick to making this work is to remember that mercury is retrograde and that taking actions is only advisable if you’re reworking, revising, reviewing or re-negotiating.

Why? Sun Conjunction  Mercury, Mercury Sextile Mars, Saturn Square  Chiron

New Moon at 7°Cp59′ – Planning Opportunity

What to expect: New Intentions and Plans
What to watch out for: Opportunities to dream
What will it affect? Direction, new intentions, communications

The New Moon is in Capricorn on Dec 29th. Uranus will also go direct on the 29th. We’ll have a burst of energy getting us ready to take new directions into 2017.

Getting together with a team—maybe the same team as earlier this month when mercury made its first trine to the north node— will help to regroup and redirect. The New Moon will also be in a sextile to Neptune, giving us energy for imagination and creativity. This would be a great day not just to set intentions, but also to get out your planner and plan the year.

Why? New Moon at 7°Cp59′, Mercury Trine North Node

Dec 19 – 25

Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn

What to expect: Review
What to watch out for: Questions ourselves
What will it affect? Communications, contracts, travel

On Dec 19th mercury goes retrograde in Capricorn. Mercury has been traveling in Capricorn since the beginning of the month when we sought authoritative opinions, and approached things with skepticism and caution. As mercury turns and goes back over this ground, we check and double check the structures in our lives and the structures in our world. We also check in on who really has authority, who is just postulating and what words will actually help us to achieve. Mercury retrograde is not a good time to start anything new. And, no, it’s not the best time to travel either, though many of us will be unable to avoid it over the holidays. It is a time to go over communications and re-visit, re-do, re-vise. The only thing to caution with mercury in Capricorn is that sometimes we actually did have the right answer the first time. As you go over everything, don’t let doubt or insecurity make you second guess what you know is right. Mars goes into Pisces on the same day, so we may be a little more tuned into our intuition. However, we may also become less decisive.

Why? Mercury retrograde, Mars in Pisces

Vacation Time!

What to expect: Enjoyment
What to watch out for: Nothing!
What will it affect? Relationships, acquaintances, social gatherings.

Between the 20 – 25rd of December Venus will connect with Juno and Jupiter. This is a great time to start your vacation. The moods will be jolly and gay and we’ll feel like socializing. We have a desire to connect with others and especially our beloved. On the 22nd we will feel this even more strongly with the Moon joining up with Jupiter. We may be joining together for the season, or we may be joining together for a cause. Venus is still in Aquarius and very focused on humanitarian values, as well as time with friends and associates. It’s an enjoyable time during which differences can be embraced.. Venus is at a degree where she has found resilience despite disappointment and disillusionment. She connects with others and feels a sense of grounding in the communion and ceremony. There is a uniqueness and practicality combined in this energy as well as openness to change and new ideas. For that reason, Christmas dinner (if you celebrate Christmas) may not be so bad!

Why? Venus Sextile Juno, Venus Trine Jupiter, Venus Sextile Uranus, Venus Sextile Saturn, Saturn Trine Uranus, Venus Sextile Transiting Ceres