Monthly Vedic Astrology Forecast

Full Moon in Taurus December 1

We kick off the last month of the decade with a full moon in Venus' earth sign, Taurus. The moon reaches the point of fullness during the late evening on Tuesday, December 1, in the lunar mansion called Rohini, which is marked by the bright star Aldebaran. This is the culmination of the cycle that began when the moon was new in Scorpio on November 16. With Venus and the Sun in Scorpio opposite the Moon, and Jupiter and Mars in direct opposition as well, it could be that the best activity for this full Moon is to use its illumination to get our bearings after the shifts of November, which included the change of Rahu/Ketu into Sagittarius/Gemini and the passage of several planets into Scorpio, which is a realm of choppy waters right now, due to Mars current placement in his sign of debilitation. Venus, the planet of love, beauty and relationship, is highlighted during this full moon, and her energy of social attraction and connection could be a great ally in our attempts to celebrate the holidays during a time when many are struggling and transitioning. Perhaps the graceful shine of the Moon under the influence of Venus can remind us that love is what makes the world go 'round in style as we transition into our next calendar decade.

Mercury Enters Sagittarius December 2

Between the full moon and new moon this month, not much is new on the planetary itinerary besides Mercury moving from Scorpio and whisking through Jupiter's fire sign, Sagittarius. Well, beginning to whisk, actually, as Mercury will slow down toward month's end and begin his final retrograde cycle of 2009. The result is that Mercury will occupy Sagittarius for a total of 9 weeks, finally moving on to Capricorn in early February. The energy of Mercury should help all of us with the transition of the nodal axis into Sagittarius/Gemini. His capacity for diplomacy, analysis, exchange and communication will be invaluable as we continue to discover how Rahu/Ketu's new positions will bring a new set of circumstances on board. Mercury reminds us to be flexible, adaptable and above all, to keep a sense of humor and levity about situations in which we have little or no control.

New Moon in Sagittarius December 16

December's new Moon occurs just before the winter solstice at 0° Sagittarius, giving us another "sandhi" new moon, similar to last month's. We are still feeling the deep newness of transition, and may still feel unsure of how or when to begin new projects or to move in unfamiliar directions. However, while November's new moon was marked by Mars' debility, this new Moon will be marked by Jupiter's escape from debility. This could create a well of hope, and open the door toward conditions improving, especially regarding the economy, although a sense of immediate prosperity will not descend on the entire planet and make everyone fat and happy again on this one day. The lunar mansion for this new Moon is called Mula, which translates as "root." This is a great time, as the year and decade are transitioning, to connect deeply with our own roots: that which connects us most deeply to our essential existence. Use this time to examine your literal and figurative foundations. Replace crumbling cornerstones, shore up the walls of your consciousness, discard that which does not contribute to stability and make sure your footing is sure before moving forward into the new year.

Mercury-Rahu Conjunction December 18 - January 3

For the two weeks spanning the heart of the holiday season, Mercury and Rahu will be very close. The suggestion above to use Mercury's adaptable energy to ease transitions will be most useful during this time. While we are deeply focused on roots, stability and transition, remember that life can always be regarded as the learning experience for which we've come to occupy our positions as human beings on this planet. There is no right way or wrong way of doing this thing we call life. Keep your eyes open for obvious road signs during this time, and remember to pack your sense of humor.

Venus Enter Sagittarius December 20

Venus emerges from the mysterious depths of Scorpio and joins the Sun, Mercury and Rahu in Sagittarius on the day before the winter equinox. There's a neat thing about living in this era, and that is that our winter equinox occurs when the Sun is very near to the same exact degree of the zodiac (7° Sagittarius) that marks the direction toward the center of our galaxy. This degree changes slowly, and we call it the "Precession of the Equinoxes," a cycle that lasts about 26,000 years. The Galactic Center has been seen by people for many ages as the source of light for our galaxy, a Greater Sun. We in the northern hemisphere get a straight shot to the greater source of light during our darkest time of the year. Venus' presence here during this time signals a strong need for her energy as we face our own times of darkness, on both personal and collective levels. The message of Venus is to love. She is the urge in us to recognize ourselves in others, to recognize ourselves as our Mother Earth, to recognize ourselves as the Infinite Universe and to express that recognition as love, beauty and connection, in a very passionate, human way. Join Venus during the equinox and feel devotion to the cause of love. Know that when you look toward the Sun during the days surrounding the equinox, you are looking also toward Venus and toward the Greater Sun at the center of our galaxy. Wow.

Jupiter Enters Aquarius December 20

As if Venus and the Galactic Center weren't enough, Jupiter makes his long awaited entry into Aquarius on the same day, with pomp and circumstance. Jupiter loves ceremony and celebration, in his expansive and jovial way. Jupiter is ushered into Saturn's air sign by the waxing Moon, which is another positive influence on this day, which marks Jupiter's emergence from his sign of debility, Capricorn. When Jupiter is debilitated, that means his normal mode of function is suppressed, which essentially manifests as fertile ground for negativity and contraction. Jupiter has occupied Capricorn since mid-December 2008, and for the past month has also been aspected by debilitated Mars in Capricorn. Jupiter's move into Capricorn will improve his condition, however, there are a few factors involved that may keep some of us from spending our last dollars on a big party because of this transition. First, Aquarius, though a bit better than Capricorn, is still not Jupiter's favorite spot. It's ruled by Saturn, who has nearly opposite qualities to Jupiter, so it's a bit dry and cold for Jupiter's taste, but at least it's an air sign, which will restore a modicum of Jupiter's buoyancy, and will perhaps encourage positive thought. Second, Mars has a unique ability to aspect the 4th, 7th and 8th signs from himself, so Jupiter will not escape the aspect of Mars by moving to Aquarius. Not a huge tragedy, as Jupiter and Mars are natural friends, but Mars can get really vicious when he's uncomfortable, which Jupiter simply sees as a big waste of energy that could be spent expanding in positive directions. It's much like a man of the cloth being dismayed by the wasting of human life in military pursuits.

Jupiter's transit through Aquarius will bring change, although slowly, with effort and probably not immediately. The surety of change is signaled by Mercury's position as Saturn's lord for the next couple of years. Mercury is Saturn's lord by nature of his ownership of Virgo, Saturn's current sign. Saturn is the lord of Jupiter by nature of his ownership of Capricorn and Aquarius, Jupiter's former and current signs. That makes Mercury lord of Saturn directly and lord of Jupiter indirectly. The fleet, changeable nature of Mercury influencing our two slowest moving planets for the next year signals change to come. Just wait until Jupiter makes it to Pisces in December 2010; that may be the beginning of a very interesting period of change.

Mars Retrograde December 21 - March 10

Mars is going to bring it to Jupiter's attention that he means business about revision of the use of resources by entering a retrograde cycle on December 21 that will last nearly three months. The first quarter of the new year and new decade will likely be strongly marked by the obvious need to address the use of resources, especially those used in military and building pursuits. Real estate markets will likely continue to decline, and we may again address issues surrounding domestic auto manufacture. What this means on a personal level is that each of us will be best served by addressing our own personal use of resources, especially in the home environment, including vehicles and land. Mars in Cancer is disruptive to the home environment. Mars' goal is to move forward at any cost, and will dig deep, fly high and drive fast to get there. When a planet is retrograde, it's actually a bit closer to the earth and will appear brighter in the night sky. Retrograde periods are generally more conducive to review, research and revamp than toward forward motion, so this may only make Mars more fiery and frustrated. The best remedy toward over-explosive Mars energy during the first six months of 2010 (while Mars occupies Cancer), and especially during the first three months of 2010 (while Mars is retrograde), is to harness Mars energy toward the end of a deep exploratory review of use of resources in the home. We could bring this to the level of viewing: our bodies as our home, our house as our home, our family as our home, our community as our home, our region as our home, our country as our home, our planet as our home, etc. How are we managing our power? Does our use of resources serve our community? Does the food with which I fuel my body give me the energy I require? How have we driven ourselves to our current position? Using this data, how can we plan for the future of our home life?

It may be common to feel emotions such as anger and frustration more readily during this time. Know that those emotions are signals that there are issues to be addressed, and try to avoid succumbing to the emotions themselves, which often leads to waste of energy. Address the issue without indulging the emotion.

Mercury Retrograde December 27 - January 15

Oh yes, the decade goes out with a possibly delayed bang as Mercury jumps on the retrograde bandwagon on December 27. He meets up directly with Rahu and begins his backward shuffle through Sagittarius, which lasts through January 15. As usual, making big moves is not recommended during this time, and for about a week before and after. Big moves include starting business, signing contracts and that type of thing. With Mercury and Mars both being retrograde during this time, it is strongly recommended to back up important data by December 20 and to check the integrity of all systems that one relies upon for communication, transportation and protection. If traveling during the holiday season, be sure to pack a healthy supply of patience and good cheer, as delays and travel mishaps could be more pronounced than usual. Double-check itineraries, reservations and hours of operation. Do not waste a moment of time getting frustrated over anything that could be a result of miscommunication, rather re-try communication and don't be afraid to call back as messages may disappear into the ether more than usual.

Please take your time this holiday season. All signs are pointing toward slowing down and even stopping and sitting for a spell. Find the still point within, welcome yourself home and enjoy this transitional season from your roots.