The Astrology Company: December 2022 by Bob Mulligan

December 2022

By Bob Mulligan

(a personal note is at the end of the newsletter)

 

December Highlights 

The Winter Solstice happens just two days before the New Moon.  Both charts share many of the same aspects between planets.  A prominent feature of both charts is the Sun Square Jupiter on the first degree of a cardinal sign.  This aspect is exact on the 21st. The Solstice is on the 21st and the New Moon is on the 23rd.

Jupiter re-enters Aries on the 20th where he will be until May 16th, 2023.  Aries is the sign of the pioneer, the impulsive soldier.

In 2022, Jupiter first entered Aries on May 10th staying there until October 28th.  This was our preview, but with Retrograde Mercury and Mars in Pisces, Jupiter got off to a muted start in Aries.  Now Mars (ruler of Aries) is Retrograde in Gemini.  There will be plenty of gusto now, but the material getting all the attention is stuff that we’ve already seen.

Jupiter completes a Semi-square to Uranus on the 23rd, right after the New Moon. This is one of the indications that we are forced to move forward; this will be a lucky eventuation.

Mercury turns Retrograde on the 29th and remains so until January 18th, 2023.  With the planet of communication and travel facing backwards, and straddling the transition of old to new, the break between 2022 and 2023 will not be sudden.  We will be deeper into next year before the fog of 2022 lifts.

The Full Moon 

The Full Moon is on December 7th at 11:07 PM EST on the 16th degree of Sagittarius/Gemini. With the Moon Conjunct Mars (also Opposite the Sun), there is lots of pent-up energy likely to express itself as hostility.  But, Saturn being Trine the Moon and Sextile the Sun, it is likely that cooler heads will prevail.  Still, with Uranus/North Node Quincunx the Sun and Semi-sextile the Moon, some small changes are necessary and inevitable. Mother Earth will demand recognition, and more striking demonstrations of climate change emerge.  Some of this will be hidden from our view at the moment as Neptune (lord of illusion) is at the base of a T-Square with the Sun and Moon.  If we are doing the right thing, sometimes it’s helpful to not have moment to moment feedback on how bad things are. Venus is Square Neptune/Jupiter, and makes a Semi-sextile to Pluto.  We are likely to be lifted by her good graces into a state of optimism.  And it is true; we can make a difference. 

The Sun enters Capricorn 

The Sun enters Capricorn on December 21st at 4:49 PM EST;   this is the Winter Solstice. With the Sun Square Jupiter Sesquiquadrate Uranus, we will have an underlying free spirit to all that is done over the next three months.  Mercury is Conjunct Venus and Pluto while being halfway between them.  This shows a strong desire to find solutions to long-standing social problems.  The Moon separating from a Jupiter Trine, and applying to a Mars Opposition, indicates public impatience with a slow time table on remedial measures. Venus/Mercury Trines Uranus/North Node; this shows that we find common ground; we can all work together for tangible results.  Mercury Semi-sextiles Saturn and Sextiles Neptune.  Imagination and practicality work together.  With Saturn at the exact direct midpoint between Mercury and Neptune, we must remain positive and not give way to pessimism or fear in order to keep moving toward completion.  This chart is a bowl shape with Mars and the Moon being on the edges.  This is a reminder to all of us to be proactive and put past hurts behind us. 

The New Moon 

The New Moon is in Capricorn on December 23rd at 5:16 PM on the 1st degree.  With the Sun/Moon Square to Jupiter there is a big chunk of luck and optimism in every activity over the next month.  However, it is worth mentioning that there are five planetary bodies in cheerless, workaholic Capricorn. So this will not be a light-hearted time.  Saturn, ruler of Capricorn, is in Aquarius (the urge for freedom) and prompts us to look beyond the difficulties.  With Uranus in Trine to Venus in Capricorn, the urge for freedom will demand some material results for all our activities.

The Weeks 

From the 1st to the 4th there is a tug-a-war between what we have and what we want.  Creative thinking runs wild; it is easy to get drawn into an imaginary world where it all makes perfect sense in our heads, but not much is accomplished in the material world.  Wishful thinking won’t take us very far; it is important to keep our feet on the ground (even if we don’t like the feeling) and our eyes on the horizon (even if we don’t like what we see).

From the 5th to the 11th if we clarify our vision of life and are specific on what we are trying to do, then the big picture of life is comforting and reassuring. Time and again, nervous energy needs to be brought back and harnessed to something tangible. Problems come when we take on more than we can digest.  Moderation is the ticket.

From the 12th to the 18th even when we think we are just doing what we have always done; even when we think we are conventional in our outlook and just getting by, the truth is we have been on a road of our own making which is rather avant-garde. At the moment, the best we can do is to stay on task without fiddling too much with methods.  A real shift in direction is just around the corner as a confluence of circumstance and emotional pressure force change.

From the 19th to the 25th it would be nice if errands, opportunities, and mishaps were spaced out a bit. No such luck.  Several areas of life are changing without our wishing or working on it.  The usual strategy during times of hurry up and wait is to prioritize.  This doesn’t seem to buy us much breathing room.  It is best to do triage; where is our attention going to make a difference? Oh yes, we can just relax and enjoy creation.  The snow falls by itself; we can shovel later.

From the 26th to the 31st if we get the work done first then we can be off the case.  Missed opportunities return in a different form; we get a chance to be our finer selves.  This is a time to enjoy life; true, we can make busy work.  If we have an emotional need to feel productive, we can throw ourselves into motion, but it only has meaning if the mission in front is really ours.  Boundaries limit liabilities.

The Days 

1st – Thursday –  Venus Opposite Mars, Mercury Square Neptune, Venus Sextile Saturn –  Big ideas can only come into manifestation through cooperative effort.  This requires a willingness to keep sharing information, even when the conversations become heated.  We may have different pictures of the way the world works, still we all want the same thing.   

2nd – Friday – Just when we feel that all is lost, help comes.  What is important is to see what is being offered, and take it. Luck has a way of showing up; our job is to recognize it.

3rd – Saturday – Neptune turns Direct – It is difficult to build something new when the prevalent attitude is to tear basic structures down.  When remodeling a house: walls, paint, fixtures and such need to be removed in order to put in something new.  However, destruction now is only the inertia of old habits.  Now is the time of building and renewal.    

4th – Sunday – Venus Square Neptune, Mercury Semi-sextile Pluto – The lesson now is to use what we have. Wishing that things were different, or that we had some tools or resources that we don’t possess, is folly; a waste of valuable time.  Even when it seems that joy is stationed in some far off land, it is really here and now. 

5th – Monday – We meet people on our path that seem out of step with what we are doing. Events occur that are hard to ignore and  likely a diversion.  What we are encountering are the byproducts of what we have created.  The currents of the day are not meant as a distraction, but a gift. 

6th – Tuesday – Mercury Square Jupiter, Mercury enters Capricorn –  Clarity comes as a two-fold process; being open to the larger world of possibilities, and keeping one foot planted on the facts.  Practical circumstances in life have to be addressed, but there is more to life that what is seen and measurable. 

7th – Wednesday –  Mercury Sesquiquadrate Uranus, Venus Semi-sextile Pluto, the Full Moon is on December 7th at 11:07 PM EST on the 16th degree of Sagittarius/Gemini –  A general nervousness seems to be with everyone.  It is best to avoid any situation that could invoke arguments.  People tend to be more on edge.  It is best for most of us to work alone, or with people with whom we have well-established boundaries.  It is a time of learning about ourselves.  This is more fruitful than exploring new galaxies. 

8th – Thursday –  Sun Opposite Mars, Mars Semi-sextile Uranus –  In order to build a better world, each of us has to relinquish long-standing grudges.  Angry fits that arise spontaneously in the moment end up making us tired; we remain unprepared for our real work.  We are always offered a way out of our habituated responses; this time the answer lies in things we overlooked.  Even though going back is not an option, past lessons have application now. 

9th – Friday – Venus Square Jupiter, Venus enters Capricorn –  There are a few things entrusted to us that need to be finished up. We have the time and the insight to complete what we have been given.  It is a blessing when we have the joy of doing something that we must.  Although help is available, some things are only ours to complete.

10th – Saturday – Mercury Semi-square Saturn, Sun Parallel Pluto, Venus Sesquiquadrate Uranus – We need to correct a few things in our habits or circumstances.  Minor problems with the environment can be rectified if we follow our emotional impulses to their logical conclusion. It is not so easy to tell what is most important in the myriad of details in front of us.  This is ok and won’t cause much pain, if we handle anything problematic now.

11th – Sunday –  Emotional life and logical professional issues are not in agreement. A leap of faith works but is unnecessary.  We can follow our heart without kissing our old life goodbye.  Moderation, accommodation, and practical reasoning carry us to the destination. 

12th – Monday – Sun Sextile Saturn –  Stretching our legs and getting intermittent exercise makes the day more pleasant, go quicker, and have more meaning.  Successful projects are powered by dynamic energy and a belief in one’s self.  There is a time to shine, even when our efforts aren’t acknowledged by anyone else. 

13th – Tuesday –  If we honestly face our own shortcomings, we can correct anything that is not working out as we would like.  Evaluation of circumstances is positive; self-criticism zaps the joy from activities.  The world is on unstable ground, but we can still enjoy the show.  The balance comes without being either pessimistic or cavalier. 

14th – Wednesday –  Sun Square Neptune, Venus Semi-square Saturn –  We have two needs to be addressed: the need for something beyond the concrete world, and two, the need to be loved.  The obstacle to transcending the ordinary, and to expressing love, is fear of unworthiness. Each of us has enormous value just for being.

15th – Thursday –  Mercury Quincunx Mars –  Common sense is at odds with the flurry of information coming from multiple directions.  Consensus is not possible or even necessary to do what we need to do.  It is disconcerting to have our emotional life upended by people around us saying stupid things. The only remedy is to do what we must, but see the humor in the changing landscape. 

16th – Friday –  Mercury Contra-parallel Mars –  Even when the news is bad (or at least not to our liking), there is something of value.  Being attacked by the village idiot may be no fun; he may be completely wrong, but at the same time may unwittingly drop a pearl of wisdom into our lap.  Address the information on its own merit, not the source.

17th – Saturday –  Mercury Trine Uranus –  A solution to a thorny issue is close at hand.  Practical steps taken in the right direction will bear fruit in time.  We are taking a bold leap forward and need to be patient, diligent, and oblivious to the superficial details. 

18th – Sunday – Mars Sesquiquadrate Pluto –  Energy helps, anger doesn’t.  New information can help tilt the table in our favor. Traditional problems are still there to be dealt with, but our actions need to be reshaped. 

19th – Monday – Sun Semi-sextile Pluto, Venus Quincunx Mars –  Prudent steps and a reinvigorated perspective can help us understand what goes on between ourselves and people that we depend on.  It is possible that we have taken critical persons in our lives for granted.  Now is a time for remembrance, gratitude, and optimism. 

20th – Tuesday –  Jupiter enters Aries, Mercury Parallel Venus –  We have been waiting to jump into something new, and now is the time. The force of nature will be energizing our efforts over the next few days. Even though we have plans, routines, and methods all in place, the beauty of the moment is that we don’t have to have all the answers to take the next step.  What is most important is that we value our higher selves enough to keep trying to be better. 

21st – Wednesday – The Sun enters Capricorn at 4:49 PM EST.  This is the Winter Solstice.  Sun Square Jupiter, Sun Parallel Mercury –  Confidence is stronger than it has been in a long time.  Real self-improvement requires us to take care of each other, and the planet.  Organizing our thoughts and beliefs requires us to be open to the possibility that we may be wrong.  Progress and genuine self-esteem comes through correction and then going forward. 

22nd – Thursday –  Sun Sesquiquadrate Uranus, Venus Trine Uranus –  Immediate decisions must be made; this is a backdrop for actions that seem to have far reaching effects.  When the dust settles, we are just a little bit further down the line from where we started.  However, we are getting a glimpse into our own future, and this will have significance in the not too distant future. 

23rd – Friday – The New Moon is on 1st degree of Capricorn at 5:16 PM EST, Mercury Semi-sextile Saturn, Mercury Parallel Pluto, Jupiter Semi-square Uranus –  Hard work and diligent attention to the hidden realities that are surfacing, promote a universal change in consciousness.  Seeds planted now will grow, and will produce a bumper crop.  We will start harvesting before the end of the year, and it will continue into 2023. 

24th – Saturday – Sun Parallel Venus, Mercury Sextile Neptune –  A little sweetness goes a long way.  Some insights into our lives have seemed interesting, but without practical application. It is now possible to attach our inventive concepts to some material world applications.  Life improves.

25th – Sunday –  The social side of our nature is held hostage by self-limiting fears, but also by a need to feel that we have earned our keep by accomplishing something.  First work, then play. 

26th – Monday –  Although this is a social time of year, time spent in solitude may be more beneficial. Transformation sometimes takes isolation to be effective, symmetrical, and lasting. Our dear ones will understand if we are meditating, reading a book, or just alone in our room.

27th – Tuesday – Venus Semi-sextile Saturn, Venus Parallel Pluto – The encouragement that we receive may feel like it is bordering on coercion.  This is an externalization for an inner prompting to repair any damage in love relationships, and be willing to take the next step. 

28th – Wednesday – Venus Sextile Neptune, Sun Semi-square Saturn –  Although we long for peace and harmony, the path in front is not easy.  Still, what we must do is clearly defined.  To get on with our life may require ignoring pleas for help.  To decide where to put our attention and resources is not easy.  Responsible action requires turning a deaf ear to some things in order to hear more clearly what we must do.

29th – Thursday –  Mercury turns Retrograde, Mercury Conjunct Venus, Venus Sesquiquadrate Mars –  With a little forethought, we can share our thoughts with others in mutually beneficial ways. With kind words and a pleasant attitude, we can lift another person out of a jam.  Intimacy is discovered in the most unlikely places. 

30th – Friday –  Sun Quincunx Mars –  Do we express our real thoughts, or only what is expected of us?  The need for approval is at loggerheads with our perceived truth.  If our aim is to be true to ourselves, still our actions should not intentionally hurt others.  Sometimes we have to break the mold of traditional expectations in order to get to a higher truth. 

31st – Saturday –  Our personal energy goes off in all directions for a bit, then settles down to a feeling of contentment.  Restrictions imposed by the limitations of time and resources have a satisfying effect when we slow down enough to recognize the beauty of doing things right. 

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our web site, www.theastrologycompany.com 

 

My Personal Note

Arlan Wise wrote a wonderful article on 2023; it appeared in the latest issue of The Mountain Astrologer.  If you don’t have a subscription, write me.  Arlan is under contract with the magazine and can’t release the article in another form for three months, but I will see that you get it then. 

“Eats, Shoots and Leaves” is a book that my sister, Mary Alice, gave to Katie as a birthday present.  She loaned it to me thinking I would enjoy it.  On the weekly Zoom talk with my siblings, they revealed to me how much my dad loved this book.  As I read it, I laughed and laughed.  I could hear my dad’s voice on every page.  For a long time, it was the number one best seller in England.  It is a book on punctuation, BUT it covers the whole topic of how we communicate.  The author, Lynne Truss, has a wonderfully conversational and personable style of writing.  Her explorations of literature and writing are encyclopedic.  This is one of my most favorite books.  And yes, it is really funny, and if you read it and don’t laugh, you are hopeless. 

NCGR San Diego has asked me to give a talk on September 16th, 2023.   The talk will be about 2 hours and will entail a lengthy question and answer period.  The topic is “The Hierarchy of the Planets”.  I will share more information about how you can attend as we get closer. 

My youngest child “Bailey” is here visiting.  She is an astrologer, and a quite brilliant one at that.  She just quit her “day job”, so we have much to discuss. 

Long time friend and member of my nuclear family “Mary Weiss” is coming for Christmas. Because of Covid, she hasn’t been able to come since 2019.  We are all missing her. 

The Mid-term elections, with an Eclipse Conjunct Uranus, promised to be an upset from people’s expectations.  I scoured the normal news channels to find someone who was thinking like I was.  The only one I found was Michael Moore. – Michael Moore: I Have Never Felt This Optimistic | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) – YouTube

BTW, Michael Moore is a Taurus with Sun Trine his Mars/Moon Conjunction in Capricorn.  Agree or disagree with him, he is not wrong on his facts. 

Barack Obama interview with Trevor Noah was so good I wanted to share it with you.

Barack Obama – Protecting Democracy and the Commitment to Facts | The Daily Show – YouTube 

The book, “Atomic Habits” can be a game changer if you desire to create a different life.  This short video may give you a boost along the path:

How to become 37.78 times better at anything | Atomic Habits summary (by James Clear) – YouTube

 

“He who speculates from the shore about the ocean shall know only its surface,

                        but he who would know the depths of the ocean must be willing to plunge into it.”                                         

Meher Baba

 

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our web site, www.theastrologycompany.com