December 2017 By Bob Mulligan (a personal note is at the end of the newsletter) December 2017 has large amounts of mental activity. Mercury spends the entire month in Sagittarius, turning Retrograde on the 3rd, and turning Direct on the 22nd. This three week period is destined to be a time of rapid changes; we will edit our past words and behavior; several of our key decisions and attitudes come under scrutiny. Mercury Retrogrades at the time of the Full Moon and turns Direct at the Winter Solstice. This gives extra emphasis to the life changing property of these moments. On the 9th, Mars (individual energy) enters Scorpio, giving extra potency to all our desires and activities. Saturn goes into Capricorn on the 19th where he will be until March of 2020. Saturn is the lord of karma and will reward us in style during the next two years. We will harvest what we have planted, as the wheels of justice will roll over us during this time. December 3rd brings the Full Moon at 10:46 AM EST on the 11th degree of Sagittarius/Gemini. Both Sun and Moon are Square to Neptune in Pisces. This T-Square is in Mutable signs showing a movement of mental energy to stay on track in our lives. Mercury (ruler of thinking) is on the last degree of Sagittarius, Conjunct Saturn (lord of discipline), and Stationary Retrograde. This places great emphasis on our need to think and rethink our current situation. Jupiter in Scorpio is Trine to Neptune, indicating that we need to have faith and trust our true ethical compass to align us with our intuition and carry us beyond the limitations of ordinary logic, encouraging us to even challenge our own perceptions of situations that conflict with our intuitions. The New Moon on the 18th of December at 1:30 AM EST occurs on the 26th degree of Sagittarius, Conjunct the Galactic Center, and close to Saturn on the last degree of Sagittarius. Saturn, the Nodes of the Moon and Jupiter are on the World Point (0 degrees cardinal and 15 degrees fixed). This gives a solemn tone to the month, even though this New Moon is all about expansion. Saturn is only a few degrees away from the New Moon and just getting ready to cross into Capricorn. This is a time of deep transition; we are moving into a more serious period. Dedication to a cause and honesty will be important virtues over the next month. We are at our best and most successful when discipline and caution guide our steps. The Sun enters Capricorn giving us the Winter Solstice on December 21st at 11:27 AM EST. The Sun is applying to the Conjunction of Saturn (serious security focus). Both are in hard aspect to Jupiter and the North Node of the Moon, promising that even though this period may be bumpy, the right people will show up to lighten our load. A certain reserve will dominate the next three months. Mercury is Stationary Direct on the Heliocentric Node of Uranus (spontaneous urge for freedom) Squaring Neptune (idealism). It is easy for us to be fooled by appearances and projections of what we believe must happen. With Mercury also Trine the North Node of the Moon (connections), we can get on the right track if we listen to our heart (as the Node is in Leo). Venus is Square Uranus pushing us toward adventure. From the 1st through the 3rd enthusiasm borders on fanaticism. Many good things emerge spontaneously. Recruiting others to our cause comes through being emotionally attuned to the moment. When we are advancing an ideal, the more specific we are, the greater our chances for success. Good ideas can float away if they aren’t anchored in practical, time bound details. Planning harnesses the energy of the moment. From the 4th through the 10th even our best plans need revision as old problems emerge in new contexts. Hard work, a steady hand, a willingness to keep our commitments allows this week to go smoothly. Even fundamental assumptions may be challenged; we need open-mindedness while maintaining commitment to our underlying values. From the 11th through the 17th can be the most pleasant time if we pay attention to the people around us. Instinctively we know what to say and when; all that is required is to be observant and listen intently to what others offer up. Even though we may be tempted to go in a new direction, we are generally better off to avoid any extreme measures. From the 18th through the 24th we are executing plans well timed and long in the making. A slow turn of events will leave all of us in a different place than we started. The really good news is that we can’t change the inevitable. Many of us will be happy to welcome the arrival of the things we have seen coming for a long time. Yes, chickens come home to roost. From the 25th through the 31st our emotions get a thorough workout. This is a requiem and an awakening. Every year’s end is an opportunity to start anew. However, the solemn and final tone of this year’s end, allows us to tune into the festivities of the world with renewed vigor. This is truly the end of an era. 1st – Friday – Venus enters Sagittarius, Mars Opposite Uranus, Sun Sesquiquadrate Uranus – Freedom and adventure call us; how we respond to this invitation reveals how the next few days will go. Our urge for change, when connected to our enthusiasm, gives us the power to remake some aspect of our daily lives. 2nd – Saturday – Sun Semi-square Mars, Jupiter Trine Neptune – Our urge to materialize an ideal gets a boost; changes in circumstances are easily interpreted as support from the cosmos. Promptings from others encourage us to commit to things far away. We do best to enjoy the moment; take some steps forward but always keep your eyes focused on long term goals. 3rd – Sunday – Mars Contra-parallel Uranus, Mercury turns Retrograde, Sun Square Neptune, Sun Semi-sextile Jupiter, the Full Moon is 11 Degrees of Sagittarius/Gemini, Venus Semi-square Pluto, Mars Sesquiquadrate Neptune – If we are “quick on the trigger” we may be miles down the road in the wrong direction. Still, decisions need to be made; actions need to be taken. Slimming down our demands helps us locate what is truly important. 4th – Monday – After missing the mark, when we attempt to take shortcuts, we develop a more consistent plan for moving forward. We have great ideas but putting them into practice will take some work. 5th – Tuesday – Sun Parallel Saturn – Taking personal responsibility for the things that aren’t working in our lives is the way forward. Corralling our creative impulses is a slow process, but necessary to make our lives more affective. Getting our ideas on a time line allows us to turn dreams into goals. 6th – Wednesday – Mercury Conjunct Saturn, Mercury Sextile Mars, Mars Sextile Saturn – Make a plan; commit to a course of action. Success comes through brutal honesty. Practical steps are necessary for the success of any project; this doesn’t need to be boring; we can have fun by concentrating on the most adventuresome aspects of our daily tasks. 7th – Thursday – Mercury Semi-square Jupiter – Optimism and creativity are not enough to keep us balanced. Common sense can keep us in the realm of the achievable. Our love of exploration supplies a direction; remembrance of our recent past supplies tools for self-correction. 8th – Friday – Venus Sesquiquadrate Uranus – Details can hound us unless dealt with efficiently. Everyone seems to want something new; however, in order to have anything to show for our efforts, we need grounding in ordinary routines. Still, some interruptions can be a blessing, bringing us new forms of joy. 9th – Saturday – Mars enters Scorpio, Sun Parallel Mercury, Sun Semi-sextile Pluto – More forceful assertions may bring us closer to our goals. At the same time, reevaluating our methods can reveal important information. Bringing others along with our plans may not be so easy; we must be willing to either go it alone or compromise. 10th – Sunday – Venus Parallel Pluto, Mercury Trine Uranus, Venus Square Neptune – Our mind soars into distance reaches. Getting the most out of our life may mean having a willingness to see the world through a different lens; it’s time to think new thoughts. However, a new mental roadmap does not ensure success; there is still a long journey ahead. 11th – Monday – Mercury Parallel Venus, Venus Semi-sextile Jupiter – Sometimes it is the little kindnesses that matter most. Others seem to say the right things; we share just enough to stay connected with those we care about the most. Being pleasant opens doors. 12th – Tuesday – Mercury Parallel Pluto, Sun Conjunct Mercury – Examining the things we hold most dearly allows up to develop a timeline for our main endeavors. There is an explosion of bold ideas emerging from the simple process of self-examination. There will be a time for sharing insights later on, now we are better off just listening to what others have to say. 13th – Wednesday – Our passions are aroused. We are happiest digging deep into something. Just skimming the surface works sometimes, but now it will leave us cold. Satisfaction comes from finishing what we start and turning away from the things we can’t really embrace. We are at a time of extremes. 14th – Thursday – Venus Parallel Saturn, Mercury Semi-square Mars – Anger may come as a byproduct of feeling rejected, neglected, or abandoned. Some close relationships may feel more like duty than affection. Growth comes when we are able to channel our attention toward the things in ourselves we wish to change. Closeness comes only through service and self-sacrifice. 15th – Friday – Mercury Semi-sextile Pluto, Mercury Conjunct Venus, Venus Semi-sextile Pluto – Well executed plans come to a happy conclusion as long as we don’t ask more from life than we deserve. We are laying a new foundation whether we realize it or not. With a moderate amount of luck and reasonably good judgment, this one day can bring an inordinate benefit to our cause. 16th – Saturday – Sun Trine Uranus – Our creativity and innovation can reach a new high water mark. Deciding what we really want, what will make us happy is the key to opening to higher consciousness. With emotional impulses dominating our thinking (through their very potency), we are forced to choose between freedom and intimacy. Opportunity abounds to clear problematic relationship issues; however, unless our heart is open we could just leave. 17th – Sunday – Venus Semi-square Mars – New solutions to old problems are right at hand. A galaxy of options lies directly in front of us. Think big; be willing to take bold steps; this is the formula that wins going forward. 18th – Monday – The New Moon is on the 26th degree of Sagittarius at 1:30 AM EST, Mercury Semi-sextile Jupiter – Sharing what goodness we find in ourselves has the affect of spreading out and helping others. Taking time to think along practical lines before acting delivers useable results. Even small services rendered with the right attitude can have a big influence in the overall tenor of the environment. Make someone happy. 19th – Tuesday – Saturn enters Capricorn – We put a new framework in place. An ironic foreshadowing of the next few years of our society unfolds in front of us. Hard work and self discipline lie ahead. We can experience a quiet joy in handling our responsibilities. We have reached a moment where history teaches us a lesson. 20th – Wednesday – Venus Trine Uranus – We are blessed if we can find a spark of new pleasure in the confines of the basic humdrum rhythm of our lives. We may be convinced by the uniqueness of the moment to act rashly; we may dig a hole that becomes a trap. Common sense doesn’t mean giving up adventure, but balance is necessary. 21st – Thursday – The Sun enters Capricorn, Sun Semi-square Jupiter, Sun Conjunct Saturn – Big hearted feelings must be expressed through useful structures in order to be sustainable. What we should want at this moment is to build our edifices on the back of a firm foundation. Meaningless ideals will pass away if we put our mental focus on what is truly important. 22nd – Friday – Jupiter Semi-square Saturn, Mercury turns Direct – If we have done our homework correctly, we can take a giant step forward. Tentativeness and nervous reactions to world circumstances can stop us from harvesting as much as is available. If we are wise, we will look to our higher self for guidance. 23rd – Saturday – Both relationships and jobs can get a boost. Emotional impressions color all our interactions. Getting clarity may be difficult but we have a vague feeling that everything will be ok. We may start with cautious steps but then burst forward. With minor disruptions we make progress. 24th – Sunday – Reason can’t take us where we need to go now. Blissful feelings and irresistible intuitions lift us. Both abundance and luck are all around us, we just need to be tap into them. Timing is everything; we achieve our goals by taking quick action. 25th – Monday – Venus enters Capricorn, Venus Conjunct Saturn, Venus Semi-square Jupiter – Our sense of duty is strong and peace hangs over all that we do. We are in the midst of an important karmic clearing for the whole planet. Doing our part means to recognize that it is our attachments that are the source of our discomfort. 26th – Tuesday – Being in a hurry is one way of accomplishing much in a short period of time. Still, we enjoy life more if we allow time to talk to others. Explaining what we are doing is important. Facing our difficulties and frustrations by communicating our ideas and feelings can be an act of empowerment. 27th – Wednesday – Unexpected changes in other people’s plans can send us on a wild goose chase. Devotion to a higher cause can help us stay attuned to our own true purpose even when things around us seem to be unstable. 28th – Thursday – Mars Trine Neptune – Strong steady practical strivings bring us closer to our goal. Our desire to express a vision of truth carries us forward. Dancing, photography, or some other artistic display can be a good way to express our emotional need for involvement with the culture. 29th – Friday – Things might not go as swiftly as we would wish, but we can develop patience and detachment. These two ingredients nurture a maturity of spirit giving us the proper perspective for the day. Being generous frees our energy. 30th – Saturday – Mercury Semi-sextile Jupiter – Basically, our feelings are positive and our thinking is in good working order. However, getting our feelings and thinking on the same wavelength requires effort. 31st – Sunday – We end the year on a breezy note. Even though this is time for reflection, our major focus is on what lies ahead. “This too shall pass”. A new day is coming and will not be denied. Congratulations for making it this far. 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 two sisters left for Iceland during the last week of November. They wanted to see the Northern Lights. I’m close to all three of my siblings. We talk frequently but are separated geographically. Getting together in person is difficult because we all have complicated lives, many responsibilities, and family of our own. Nonetheless, we all recognize the ties that bind us and have always done our best to blend our far flung extended families. And in the long run, we are all related through these ties to the family of creation. It is good for us to remember what is important at this time of year. On Friday, the first of December, I leave for a weekend in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to meet my long time friend, Mary Weiss, at the Meher Center. She turns 70 on Sunday and I wanted to be with her to celebrate. It is always such a great privilege to visit the place Meher Baba named as his home in the West. On Monday, I return to Naples. Since my last pilgrimage to India, every day is a new adventure in consciousness. What can I share from my experience that would be helpful? There is a place in your heart that is secret; only you and God reside there. Visiting this place frequently during the day nurtures the good in you. It is here that a conversation develops where all questions are answered. At some point all questions cease. Eventually all conversations are extinguished; there is only silent adoration. And finally, one day, there is only God. “Let today be the day you stop being haunted by the ghost of yesterday. Holding a grudge & harboring anger/resentment is poison to the soul. Get even with people…but not those who have hurt us, forget them, instead get even with those who have helped us. ” Steve Maraboli | 
