Monthly Vedic Astrology Forecast

Mercury Begins Retrograde Cycle December 1

December begins with Mercury going into retrograde motion in the early degrees of Sagittarius on December 1. Mercury will apparently move backwards in the zodiac, moving into the late degrees of Scorpio on December 6, and continuing to penetrate Mars' water sign until December 21, when Mercury will hold his ground for awhile, and then resume progressive motion. I decided to start this exploration, much like Mercury himself, by looking up "retrograde" in the dictionary:

Retrograde \Re"tro*grade\, a.

1. (Astron.) Apparently moving backward, and contrary to the succession of the signs, that is, from east to west, as a planet. --Hutton.
2. Tending or moving backward; having a backward course; contrary; as, a retrograde motion; -- opposed to progressive.
3. Declining from a better to a worse state; as, a retrograde people; retrograde ideas, morals, etc. --Bacon.

When Mercury, or any other planet, goes into retrograde motion, they appear to tread through territory that was already traversed, so there is a feeling of review or revisiting. On the other hand, there is also the unsettled feeling of moving in the wrong direction, which can create confusion or frustration. When Mercury, a planet that is electrical in nature, is retrograde, we can often feel a sense of wires being crossed; connections are missed, communication is unclear, and exchange can be imbalanced. With Mercury in Mars' sign, we could see some problems with our communications networks and equipment. This is prime computer virus territory.

Mercury is the correspondent of the solar system. Mercury's archetype represents the capacity for commerce, communication, exchange, and movement which manifests for us in countless ways. Mercury is the force that transfers data packets at light speed across the worldwide web. Mercury is the phone connection that allows us to speak to one another over great distances. Mercury is the post man roving the town delivering letters. Mercury is the author, the journalist, the trader, the diplomat. Mercury is flexible, mutable, glib, youthful, fickle, spontaneous, quick, and facile. Mercury wants to learn, exchange, and connect. Mercury is the kind of messenger that has the proper outfit for every country he visits, and easily takes on the customs of any place in which he finds himself. In this way, he can be influenced heavily from other nearby planets or by the sign in which he travels, this month, in Scorpio.

Mars territory is often fraught with intensity, at least, and possibly aggression and/or danger. While Aries, Mars' fire sign, is much more a front line battle situation, Mars' water sign, Scorpio, is more subtle in its power and aggression. Mercury in Scorpio is like the pen becoming the sword. Words can cut, words can jab, and words can cause harm, and if Mercury feels threatened, he may be prone resorting to just that this month. This Tour de Retrograde could find us dragging our thoughts back over dark subjects we'd rather not revisit, but do anyway.

Venus enters Scorpio December 12

Mercury will be joined in Scorpio with the Sun, which Mercury conjuncts exactly on December 10. Venus enters Scorpio on December 12, and will catch up to Mercury in Scorpio's late degrees by the end of the month. At least for the northern hemisphere, the Sun's transit through Scorpio coincides with the darkest part of the year. So, already the tendency to go within, to hunker down and transfer the focus from the outdoors to the indoors is represented by the Sun's position during this time of year, and Mercury's retrograde cycle this month may intensify that mental exploration into what lies beneath a bit more than usual. Please do be aware of the power to cause harm through words; I suggest giving even more consideration than usual when communicating with others this month.

Sun Enters Sagittarius, Mars Enters Scorpio December 16

As the Sun moves from Scorpio into Sagittarius on December 16, Mars will enter Scorpio, joining Mercury and Venus there. Mars in Scorpio is very potent, as this is a sign that Mars rules. This is a good time for decisive action, especially when dealing with things that may be considered difficult. Mercury, the planet of communication, and Venus the planet of relationship, are both very sensitive in nature, and it may be that this combination could leave us feeling a bit exposed and vulnerable. Take extra care that you don't place yourself into compromising situations if you are not prepared to protect your sensitive side.

Winter Solstice December 21

The winter solstice occurs on Tuesday, December 21. Venus, Mercury, and Mars will all be occupying Scorpio while the Moon occupies Aries. In all, it is a harbinger for a very Mars flavored winter season. This could be a time when the Mercury retrograde review session of the first part of December transforms into a much more active, Mars-type period. Spring may come early next year, as well, especially with Jupiter's current transit of Virgo.

Full Moon in Gemini December 26

The last full Moon of 2004 will occur on December 26 in Mercury's air sign of Gemini, again highlighting Mercury's influence on our holiday season. Overall, this month could seem fast paced, emotionally and otherwise intense, and filled with "work" to do. Jupiter, the traditional celebrant of the solar system is posited in Virgo, Mercury's earth sign, showing the potential for occupation with various tasks that would make partying take a back seat. Venus and Mercury, two planets anyone would love to have along for a good celebration are going to be occupied with Mars in Scorpio, for the most part, so the season may slip by without an excess of light-hearted free time.

In that case, I wish everyone a productive holiday season. Try to find some time to relax as you may be restructuring some portion of your life this month. Resist the temptation to go too hard, too far, or to get too many irons in the fire if you're in the mood to relax and enjoy. Until next year... Cheers!