As December begins Jupiter is retrograde in Aries, Moon transits its own sign of Cancer, Ketu navigates Virgo, Venus is in its own sign of Libra, Mars is in his own sign of Scorpio combust Sun, Mercury transits Sagittarius, Saturn is in its own sign of Aquarius.

December Transits:

Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius on the 13th

Sun in Sagittarius on the 16th

Winter Solstice on the 21st

Venus in Scorpio on the 24th

Annapurna Jayanti on the 26th

Mars in Sagittarius on the 27th

Mercury retrogrades back to Scorpio on the 28th

Jupiter direct in Aries on the 30th

New Moon in Scorpio and Jyestha Nakshatra on December 12th at 16:32 MT

The December new Moon is interesting and complex. Moon is debilitated in Scorpio conjunct Sun and Mars. At the time of the new Moon, Venus, Mars, and Saturn are in their own signs. This provides some harmony and balance to a delicate Moon.

The cycle ahead brings deep, inner transformation and movement. Rahu gives his drishti to the Moon, Sun and Mars creating inner turmoil, confusion and doubt during this new Moon. Don’t let the heat of Sun and Mars over-complicate matters. You may feel pressure to push and force with this dynamic duo. What fire are you feeding? Passion and emotions are strong at this time. Be careful what you say and who you say it to. Stay out of the depths and try to lighten up.

Venus in his own sign of Libra has the ability to offer balance and harmony. Be diplomatic and strengthen relationships and co-creation at this time. Saturn in Aquarius continues to request stable, consistent steps with innovation and ingenuity. The first half of the month has some stability to it. Change, movement and transition comes mid month. Mercury begins his two month dance in and out of Scorpio and Sagittarius.

The mental and emotional bodies are a particularly important focus in the cycle ahead- as is increasing your life force energy. Themes of dharma- alignment with your divine purpose- are sparked in the weeks ahead. Pay attention to resources and insights that arrive to support your clarity and vision.

Are you stepping into your power, or away from it? Are you willing to move closer to your depths or resisting what lies below the surface?

As the Moon empties and is considered Amavasya (the last phase of the dark half), it travels through the portion of the sky ruled by Indra. Jyestha is a constellation connected to the powerful king of the gods. As the god of the gods, Indra is supremely aligned with dharma and right action. He expresses powerful leadership capabilities and the ability to wield his weapon of choice, the thunderbolt.

The king of the body is prana, or life force energy. Without prana, there is no life. All of the senses can be gathered, unified and aligned through prana. From a Vedic perspective, negative thought patterns are known as the asuras (demons) within, while the devas (gods) are considered positive thoughts within the body. Through skillful use of prana, integration, alignment, and balance can occur with the positive and negative qualities within. Essentially, light and dark forces can be unified, supporting wholeness, or yoga. 

The coming cycle requires skillfulness with your mind, as well as attention to use of your life force energy. Acknowledging your relationship with inner power is paramount.

What is your relationship with your inner power, your life force energy? Are you in right relationship with your power and purpose? Or are you misusing your power and letting it dwindle?

Dharma is right action, alignment with your highest purpose, the soul’s reason for incarnation. Each one of us has a entirely unique journey and a completely different dharmic Path. Being in right relationship with your dharma requires a willingness to heal, transform and grow, while leaning into your shadows and challenges along the way. There is no higher purpose than dharma, as it supports your awakening and the awakening of others simultaneously.

Winter Solstice occurs on December 21st at 20:27 MT. This marks the first day of winter for the Northern Hemisphere.

“Winter solstice is the astronomical moment when the Sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn, we have our shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere in terms of daylight. Regardless of what the weather is doing outside your window, the solstice marks the official start of winter. The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still) because, during the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still.” – Farmer’s Almanac

As the still point arrives and the reversal of the light takes place, it is a powerful time for introspection and release. This is a time to attend to shadows, grief and undigested emotions. Clearing, purging and releasing lingering emotions from the past cycle will create space for the new, opening you to more life force in the months ahead.

What are you moving towards?

What are you moving away from?

Full Moon in Gemini and Ardra Nakshatra on December 26th at 17:32 MT

The final full Moon of the year brings a powerful close to 2023. This one goes out like a lion! Mars is at the edge of Scorpio in his own sign. Mercury is retrograde and prepared to return to Scorpio. These two planets will go into exact conjunction, then cross each other swiftly, causing some mental disturbances on the 27th. Jupiter goes direct days later, creating challenges and delays with knowledge, wisdom, teachers, guidance and gurus. Retrograde planets intensify their effects and cause disturbances when slowing down and returning to direct motion. If Jupiter is your ruling planet or if you are in a Jupiter Maha Dasha, be extra cautious.

Just after the still point of the year, the December Full Moon comes in with a powerful roar in Ardra nakshatra. As the darkness strengthens right now, lean closer. Listen to your fears, challenges, pain and grief. Let it speak to you. Honor its wisdom and validity. Remember that ignoring your darkness only makes it stronger.

Your capacity to feel the joy of life is determined by how much you honor your grief. Honoring grief and transforming it creates space for pleasure and contentment. The natural cycles of darkness support the healing and release of grief within your body- if you acknowledge it. Pay attention to your darkness and listen carefully.

The Sun (light) has just left Scorpio, the darkest of the twelve signs. He’s now entered Sagittarius, navigating the notorious gandanta, Mula. You may be feeling this instability and uncertainty surface in your life right now. Notice it and don’t turn away. What changes are needed in order to find more ground and deeper roots? What knots of self doubt must be untied so you can claim your power and purpose?

With all the layers of darkness present right now, it’s an important time for honesty- with yourself and others. As we pass the still point of the year, deep presence is possible. What are you noticing? What do you see? What are you acknowledging- even though it’s hard to look at? Be courageous in this presence. Honor the dark wisdom arriving. Show up for yourself and your shadow. Be with your darkness so you can find the other side, the light.

This is a particularly powerful full Moon as it takes place in the portion of the sky ruled by the storm god, Rudra. He is notorious for big emotional expression- the release of grief through anger, tears and violence. He brings big waves within the emotional body and activates release, purging and destruction. Rudra rules the portion of the sky called Ardra nakshatra which falls within the sign of Gemini. This constellation is considered Tikshna, which means sharp and dreadful. It cuts, severs and attacks. It is particularly useful when harsh, destructive or painful actions must be taken.

Though Ardra nakshatra can offer immense pain and suffering, the relationship with grief must be acknowledged here. Suffering intensifies when we resist the darkness, the struggles, the pain and losses we experience. The intensity of Ardra nakshatra (and Rudra) occurs when the powerful emotional body within is ignored, suppressed, avoided or disconnected. The violent inner storms increase when the waves are not attended to regularly, when they are not honored or acknowledged as normal, valid and valuable parts of the human experience. Ardra nakshatra invites (or forces) us to look at our challenging emotions, our grief, so that it can be released and cleared. On the other side of this grief is space to feel something else- equally as powerful.

The waning cycle ahead is a request to lean closer to your own darkness and shadow. Your grief, losses and struggles. It’s a call for help, a beckoning from your emotional body wisdom. Do you lean closer or do you keep resisting the pain? What needs are surfacing? What does your emotional body tell you it needs? What shifts, changes or adjustments need to be made in order to get your needs met?

Although the close of the year is based on the Gregorian calendar (not Nature’s calendar) the collective is tending to endings and release. This is a powerful time to pause, listen, and contemplate the last twelve months. Notice what you want to take with you and what you wish to leave behind. Count your blessings and transform the grief. Make space for the cycles ahead. There is much growth coming, so tend to the soil within as preparation.