A renegade Gemini Full Moon questions everything as Jupiter in Aries, the Solstice and a Capricorn New Moon kick off a brand new year!
Every snowflake is unique! And this month's Gemini Full Moon asks us to celebrate our differences. Variety is the spice of life after all! Time to mix it up a little...
So, whats going down this month? December begins in a wistful mood with Neptune stationing direct on the 4th, all leading up to a naughty and rebellious Gemini Full Moon conjunct Mars retrograde on the 8th. The Solstice is fast approaching on the 21st alongside a Capricorn New Moon on the 23rd but not before Jupiter re-enters Aries on the 20th, blowing our worldly gates right off their hinges. That old whizzer, Mercury goes retrograde on the 29th, creating a ton of commotion - and let’s not forget the last of the USA Pluto return is also coming on the 27th-28th, marking the end of a two and a half century era, both for the USA and the world at large. We've a contemplative astro holiday season with Mars and Mercury welcoming 2023 out of action - yet another new year that finds us in a state of deep questioning and introspection to figure out what the heck is going on… Let’s see what December has in store!
Read on or jump straight to your December 2022 Horoscope if you fancy.
Neptune Direct 4/12: Hall of Mirrors...
Early December is Sagittarius season and everything seems to be in a state of flux. There’s a lot of action in mutable signs (Gemini, Sagittarius and Pisces) with Neptune in Pisces station direct on December 4th, square to it all.
Get ready for an avalanche of dreams, nostalgia and wistfulness to be unleashed in early December - nostalgia for what was, wistfulness for what could have been and dreams what might yet be. It's magic time.
An unquenchable thirst for sparkle, magic and romance seems to be the state of the world in early December, making it hard to concentrate on much else.
Venus and Mars oppose right off the bat on December 1st, challenged by Neptune and a Pisces quarter Moon, precipitating a mini-crisis. Time for some sexy, imaginative and soulful action to the rescue! Saturn is at the ready with a dampening blanket, as he sextiles Venus (and trines Mars), ready to keep things clean and give some sound advice. A Sun-Chiron trine on the 4th opens the doors of healing by acknowledging past wounds and releasing resistance.
It's a moving start to December when everything seems undecided, shifting, unreal...
The world may seem magical - or lacklustre - but whichever it is, it's a magic spell. It will soon pass.
Gemini Full Moon 8/12: Wisen Up!
December’s showpiece is the cheekiest, naughtiest Gemini Full Moon on December 8th at 05:41 GMT conjunct Mars retrograde - right on Mars’ bi-annual opposition to the Sun.
This is a Full Moon and a Full Mars rolled into one! A rebellious, contrary moment, potentially fascinating, with titillating information coming to light!
This lunation is urging us all to use our noggin and not just sit there accepting ideas unthinkingly.
The Sabian Symbol for this Full Moon at 16°05’ Gemini is the head of a robust youth changes in to that of a mature thinker. What an image! Let's give our thoughts some time to mature this holiday season. This lunation can reveal facts that give us a more considered perspective on events, allowing us to come to new conclusions. This is an intellectual transformation that could alter what motivates us to act.
With Mars retrograde, this lunation could galvanise us into subversive action of some sort, unable to idly sit on the information gathered.
Knowing what to do - and doing it - might be difficult with Mars out of action, however, and we may not be able to fully realise the information gleaned til after January 12th, when Mars goes direct.
Let's not forget, Mars and Neptune are in an ongoing square til March 2023 and there's lots of scope for some serious skulduggery... Something fishy is afoot and we need to stay on our toes. Mars-Neptune creates apathy and that surely does not help.
We won't fully know what's going on till next March so flexibility and the ability to duck and dive are good assets to have during this time of uncertainty.
The ruler of this lunation, Mercury, is conjunct Venus and square Jupiter opening the floodgates of information - especially about things that affect the very structures of our lives. With Mercury in a permanent conjunction to Venus these days (making social events that much more pleasant!) what we now learn will have a bearing on our likes and preferences, relationships and finances, as well as our thinking about all kinds of practical things. We may find ourselves overspending, overindulging and overestimating things in the run up to the Full Moon - not to say spilling the beans and jumping to conclusions! This is an OTT playful energy where any number of things can tip over, spill out or run rampant before we can distill the wisdom into something meaningful.
This is a highly reactive Full Moon, best approached in the spirit of discovery, fun and experimentation.
Mercury & Venus in Capricorn 10/12: Down to Brass Tacks
Mercury squares Jupiter and enters Capricorn on the 6th with Venus following suit on the 9th and 10th. This whole period 6th-10th, bracketing this Gemini Full Moon, brings huge instability, right at the critical degrees of the mutable signs.
By the 10th, both Mercury and Venus are in ambitious Capricorn, ready to hunker down and make things happen in the real world. Time to stop flitting from thing to thing and get down to business. With the Sun sextile Saturn on the 12th and square Neptune on the 13th, uncertainty is still rife much as we try secure our perimeter.
Come the 13th, Mercury enters his retrograde shadow (the ground he will go back over during his upcoming retrograde December 29th-January 18th), and we’re all treading uncertain ground from here on in.
Start thinking about tying up loose ends and wrapping up your projects for the holidays, ready for Mercury retrograde on the 29th, kicking off a period of withdrawal and introspection.
Virgo Last Quarter Moon 16/12: The Devil is in the Detail...
The waning quarter Virgo Moon arrives mid-month on the 16th, right opposite Neptune, as an antidote to all the confusion that still abounds.
In a sea of chaos, find something useful to do mid-month - no matter how small... It can shift your perspective!
Mercury squares Chiron and trines the North Node and Uranus on the 15th-17th, putting words to what’s broken and calling forth some ingenious solutions. Venus follows suite on the 19th-22nd, putting the spotlight on relationships that need some serious TLC and bringing some excitement and honesty. Mars also sextiles Chiron on the 19th offering opportunities for healing action. All that Chiron energy is sure to bring our wounds and vulnerabilities to light in the run up to the Solstice - all the better to be honest and find new ways forward.
Jupiter in Aries, Solstice 20-21/12: Authority on Steroids!
This 2022 December Solstice blows the doors off the hinges of the world and lays down the red carpet for some serious, decisive action!
The time for being cast adrift is over. And that's because, despite Mars remaining in Gemini til March, we have a powerful shift from Mutable to Cardinal signs this December Solstice. Jupiter enters 0° Aries on the 20th (at 14:32 GMT) and the Sun enters 0° Capricorn on the 21st (at 21:48 GMT) energising the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere - Summer in the Southern - with the purest and most dynamic energy inherent in the first and critical degrees of the cardinal signs.
Jupiter in Aries is competitive, direct, self-righteous - and can certainly overstep the mark. Jupiter in Aries believes in action - he awakens our warrior spirit, turning us into a crusader for truth, a soldier of fortune, a freedom-fighter... But Jupiter-Sun can make us cocky, shooting wide off the mark. And the Sun is in exact square to Jupiter here - overly ambitious - authority on steroids!
With such power pouring right into the hinges of the world at the Solstice, something big and ambitious is gonna go down in 2023.
This aspect has the makings of an outrageous bid for power. A big door of opportunity now swings open but we are likely to overestimate ourselves.
Whatever's going on on the world stage, you may feel the urge to do something bold in your own life. You're almost certain to overdo it but, perhaps, it's worth it for the growth experience alone. Will you play the Fool and take the leap?
Capricorn New Moon, Chiron Direct 23/12: How Much Is Too Much?
Boosted by the Solstice’s burst of naive optimism, we have a super-ambitious Capricorn New Moon on the 23rd, at 10:16 GMT, again, square Jupiter. Here we see the impulsive and authoritative energies of the Solstice enacted in bold and somewhat extreme initiatives. Capricorn-Aries can be heroic, dynamic and responsible at best, selfish, arrogant and destructive at worst. Squares to Jupiter always contain a crash-and-burn lesson in there somewhere - and it’s usually a lesson in over-confidence and lack of boundaries.
Uranus is also present aspecting the Sun, Moon and Jupiter by multiples of eight. Frustration may be a characteristic of this lunation, striving to bring innovation yet unable to play by the rules... This makes for fast and erratic developments.
Wherever this New Moon falls in your chart, you're being hugely mobilised to reach beyond your present confines. It feels uncomfortable and mistakes are likely - but growth is guaranteed!
Perhaps it’s no accident that this New Moon arrives right as master teacher Chiron stations direct, also on December 23rd, unleashing a year’s worth of hurts, pain and vulnerability into the world.
This could well be a lunation of overextension and damage awareness - especially where blind ambition has ravaged our society.
The Sabian Symbol for the Full Moon at Capricorn 2° (01°32’) is three rose windows in a gothic church, one damaged by war. This is an image of how the violent use of power can lay a civilisation to waste. The next six months may urge us to come face to face with the destructive consequences of impulsive and ambitious actions. And Chiron stationary in Aries, a sign ruled by warrior Mars, means the wounds run deep, calling for a different approach if we are to heal - one that is not top down authoritarian, but takes the individual into account.
Mercury Retrograde 29/12: Structural Review
Come the 29th at 09:31 GMT, Mercury goes retrograde at Capricorn 25° to backtrack all the way to Capricorn 9° where he turns direct January 18th.
This December-January Mercury retrograde calls for a serious rethink of our global structures and organisations - as well as how we have structured and organised our own lives.
Mercury is exactly conjunct Venus at this point, urging us to reconsider the values and principles by which we wish to run our world. The Sabian Symbol of Mercury’s station is a store filled with precious oriental rugs, implying a level of comfort and luxury, and a reliance on traditional values, that now need serious review. Both Mercury and Venus are conjunct Pluto too, and financial re-evaluations will be a key talking point - as will the need to dig deeper to bring crucial facts and balances into light.
Pluto's presence may be reminiscent of last year's holiday season, when Venus retrograde was conjunct Pluto. But this year will be nothing like the last, for there is a spirit of love, togetherness and cooperation this year with Mercury conjunct Venus direct. Still, Venus-Mercury-Pluto will make for a deeply sombre mood as we welcome the New Year, focusing much of our thoughts and feelings on our hopes and fears, especially around survival and any sense of power or powerlessness we may currently feel.
Christmas & New Year Astro Weather: Eat Drink & Be Merry
Still, the holidays promise thrills aplenty, with Venus trine Uranus lending itself to the perfect Xmas party on the 22nd - a flirty, exciting and electrifying combo. With the Moon dark and Chiron stationary, everyone is more likely to be themselves and let go of inhibitions.
On Christmas Day, Mercury sextiles Neptune, adding extra holiday sparkle to surroundings, people and conversations of all kinds.
This is followed by Venus sextile Neptune on the 28th, creating yet more magical and romantic moments - a great day to choose for a date or a gathering. Mercury and Venus are dancing the two-step, sailing close together all month long, making for the most wonderful get togethers and conversations - and this holiday season is no exception.
As is usual during the holidays, all the cherries of the sky-pie are bunched together in Capricorn close to Pluto, with the Moon sandwiched amid the heavies: conjunct Pluto in the early hours of Christmas morning, then heading to Saturn for Boxing Day. That surely adds gravity to Xmas 2022 but it's mitigated considerably by lunar contacts to Neptune, Jupiter, Chiron and Mars, with Jupiter putting the Ho-Ho-Ho into Christmas morning.
Chiron calls for a more real and authentic way of being, making for deeper and more meaningful interactions this holiday season.
As for New Year's, Venus is conjunct Pluto, making it impossible to pretend. Opt to spend it with people and in places that mean something to you - or at least somewhere where you feel like a million dollars - or even rubbing shoulders with the rich and powerful... The Moon is having a romp in Taurus alongside the North Node and Uranus, demanding good food and luxury - but with a twist!
Enjoy, rejoice and take time to rest over the festive season. For, come mid to late January, first Mars (12th), then Mercury (18th) and finally Uranus (22nd) turn direct, and things start gathering speed and fast, requiring your urgent attention!
Horoscope December 2022: Zodiac Signs
Let’s see how December’s astro-weather spreads across the twelve zodiac signs. Time to divide the great pie in the sky into twelve mythical slices. As usual, check out your Sun sign (core), Ascendant sign (skin) and Moon sign (flesh)... The first (Sun), you may find most inspiring and meaningful, the second (Ascendant) should be the most obvious of the three and the third (Moon) might be a bit like the water a fish swims in - too close to home to notice. It describes the subconscious rhythms of your being. So here goes...
Aries
The month begins on a magical note, dear Aries, allowing you to ditch the cares of the world and enjoy some special and secret festive moments that refresh your spirit. Don’t worry if emails pile up as you immerse yourself in a magical or creative trance. The Full Moon brings you back into the fold on the 8th with news or communications that need you to rethink your strategy. You may decide to reconnect with someone or revisit old paperwork to work out the kinks. You’re sure to dig out information now that will help you move forward with greater clarity. Most important of all, Jupiter re-enters your sign on the 20th, bringing you immense luck and opportunity all the way to May 2023. This coincides with a powerful Solstice New Moon in your career sector on the 23rd. Now and in the next six months is the time to push forward with your most ambitious plans! You won’t likely be able to finish everything you now begin but it’s important that you take steps to get out of your comfort zone and expand your world. Mercury retrograde at the end of the year signals it’s time to rethink your career plans, public profile and overall life direction, especially as all this affects your work and daily interactions.
Taurus
Friendship means a lot to you as the month begins, dear Taurus. You feel inspired by the people you call your own and your mind seems to be swimming with confusing images. These may represent ideals that you yearn to fulfil yet might feel that you’re falling short and that’s undermining your confidence. It’s important to get down to what strengthens you at the Full Moon on the 8th. This includes practical and financial matters, so you can reassess what you’ve got and redeploy your energy and resources more constructively. You’re entering a creatively, spiritually and psychologically enriching time on the 20th and all the way til May 2023. Use this period for therapy, precious time alone, as well as to tap into the source for creative inspiration. The Solstice urges you to launch your ships - especially when it comes to a publishing project, a course of study or a legal or immigration matter. Ambitious travel plans may also come into play as you move toward the new year, but these may require review. With Mercury, ruler of your finances, going retrograde on the 29th, it’s time to review how you want to promote and publicise your talents and resources and come up with a new outreach plan and a whole new philosophy for moving forward.
Gemini
Where is your life headed, dear Gemini? Like a child, you’re dreaming of what you want to be “when you grow up”, yearning for the impossible, and even disappointed about any dreams that have fallen by the wayside in your life trajectory. Whether you know it or not, you are projecting a glamorous image to the world and serve as a great inspiration to others just the way you are! This is a month of major realisations with a Full Moon in your sign that could awaken the renegade rebel in you. You may feel galvanised into action wanting to make changes in your personality and in the world around you - if not immediately, then as the dust settles in the months to come. You’re in the process of changing many aspects of yourself, even if you don’t feel quite ready to enact all your ideas just yet. Come mid-January you’ll hold all the cards and will have plenty of time to make your choices til the end of March. Jupiter expands your social circle exponentially from the 20th all the way til May 2023 and this is sure to bring friends and rewards, both creative and financial. The Solstice brings your attention to the bonds of trust you have with others, as well as any joint finances. This launches a period when you can pull out all the stops to get funding so you can pursue your boldest dreams and aspirations. Your ruler, Mercury, goes retrograde on the 29th and you may want to review your bonds and financial agreements or even return to a previous sponsor for support.
Cancer
Your head is in the clouds as the month begins, dear Cancer. Inspiration is flowing, perhaps you’re making up stories or dreaming of far away places and romantic escapes. This fabulous exercise in imagination is sure to bring up many a pearl by the time of the Full Moon on the 8th, which is sure to dig up some secret treasures and lay them at your feet, for your eyes only. Stay away from the crowds and use this time to listen to the call of your spirit, because it’s trying to tell you something. This is a time to let go of the past, wash old resentments off your hair and tap into your creativity and spiritual needs. Come the 20th, your career is about to receive a boost of energy thanks to Jupiter opening up new professional horizons for you to explore all the way til next May. Everything hinges on partnering up with the right people and the Solstice opens the doors wide for you to do just that. The contracts and partnerships you form now are sure to challenge you to grow and step out of your comfort zone. These agreements may feel rather ambitious, pushing you to your limits but it’s important to go there, learn and expand your playing field, even whilst putting in the necessary contractual safeguards to allow you to function. A particular relationship or agreement may have to be revisited as we head to the new year and you’ll have plenty of time, with Mercury retrograde til January 18th, to rework the finer details of your collaboration.
Leo
You may feel closer than ever to someone special as the month begins, dear Leo. And whatever is going on on the financial front, there is nothing more you can do. You just have to let go and trust that everything will be alright on the night. This exercise in faith illuminates your own dreams and ideals at the Full Moon on the 8th, with an important project culminating and revealing key friendships and alliances that you may wish to re-energise to help you achieve your aspirations. Jupiter’s entry into Aries on the 20th favours all things legal, academic and international, also bringing you luck in matters of publicity, broadcasting and outreach. You have a lucky window all the way til May 2023 to benefit from the favour of VIPs and expand your world. Of course, you’re going to have to also put in some work to make that happen but you’re no stranger to that. The Solstice brings prestigious, perhaps even international, work opportunities your way, challenging you to overstep the mark and go beyond your comfort zone. This is no easy task but it guarantees to be an adventure and a learning experience too. Your lifestyle, work and self-care habits are up for review at the end of the year and all the way til mid-January when you may have to come up with a new strategy to achieve everything that you are aiming for.
Virgo
Relationships feel larger than life as the month begins, dear Virgo, and you may be unsure where you end and someone else begins. You may feel disappointment or think that you’re letting someone down, or simply yearn for more fulfilling relationships and interactions. All this is sure to bring confusion as to your overall life direction and role in the world. But the Full Moon of the 8th helps bring clarity to where you’re going, showing you the corrective steps you need to take to get there. This is potentially a big career moment for you that may lead you to change course. Come the 20th, Jupiter re-enters your financial zone helping you improve your financial situation til next May - whether it is through joint finances, a benefactor, credit or paying down debt. This, coupled with the Solstice New Moon opens huge creative doors for you. This is no time to be your usual careful self. You need to take a risk to manifest your amazing talents and creativity. Best shoot many arrows into the sky, even if half of them don’t meet their mark. Your ruler, Mercury goes retrograde at the end of the year all the way til January 18th and you’ll have plenty of time to sort the wheat from the chaff and decide which labours of love are worth pursuing and which are not. An old romance or hobby may also knock on your door now or you may need to rethink your attitude to offspring.
Libra
Your lifestyle may feel chaotic at the start of the month, dear Libra - either due to your work, daily chores or a health matter - and you may feel overwhelmed and ineffective, finding it difficult to focus. Perhaps you’ve taken on too much or are sacrificing too much and need to clarify the bigger picture before you can proceed. The Full Moon on the 8th helps you do just that. Legal or immigration matters, publicity, accreditations and international projects now culminate, revealing the lay of the land and urging you to go back and reconsider your strategy. Relationships and agreements are favoured from the 20th all the way til next May so if you need to negotiate a better deal, find an agent, make a relationship official or expand your audience, you have a great window for doing so. Others are likely to feel more generous towards you, both personally and professionally. Home and relationships is where it’s at this Christmas with the Solstice allowing you to make a brave new start at home, with your family, a property, or your living situation. It’s time to review these personal areas of your life as you welcome a new year and come up with a more efficient way to secure your life’s foundations and organise your private affairs.
Scorpio
It’s a deeply romantic start to December, dear Scorpio, when love fills your heart and creative inspiration flows into all your hobbies and projects. You’re slowly building a circle of trust and addressing any old disagreements or resentments and the Full Moon of the 8th shows you just how far you have come. A joint endeavour may culminate at this point, also clarifying any joint finances with debts and credits becoming due. The Solstice heralds a very busy time for you, when you’ll have lots of chores, tasks and paperwork to tackle. While this is simply business as usual, the pace is about to pick up considerably and you can achieve a lot between now and May next year. The Solstice and holiday period allow you to make a fresh start with siblings and neighbours, as well as with any writing, studies or paperwork that needs sorting out. It’s especially important that you pore over paperwork very carefully before signing, as Mercury goes retrograde in your communications sector urging you to review your long term plans and financial agreements. Delay signing til well after January 18th - unless you are dusting up and re-energising existing contracts and agreements - and use this period to tease out any contractual details and revisit the facts - whether with siblings, neighbours or associates.
Sagittarius
Your home is your castle, dear Sagittarius, and it’s got your full attention as December begins. Whether you’re enjoying magical times at home or going OTT with decorations, your home, family or property is all-consuming right now. Come the Full Moon on the 8th, the spotlight is squarely on your relationships and business agreements. Issues that have been quietly simmering under the surface could now erupt ready for resolution. This brings some much needed clarity to help you move forward. Jupiter, your ruler, is about to boost your happiness factor starting on the 20th and all the way til next May. This gives you a window of opportunity to enjoy life more, pursue your hobbies and even find love. The key is to follow your heart and do more of all the things you love doing. The Solstice kicks off a new financial phase for you, when you can truly invest in what matters most and what makes you happy. You may want to pour your funds into a start up or simply have more adventures and enjoy life more, and you may find yourself struggling to know how much is too much. Just then, Mercury comes along to help you reset your priorities and review your financial situation from the 29th all the way to January 18th, so you can spend your money and energies wisely.
Capricorn
You’re so inspired as the month begins, dear Capricorn, your mind is swimming in a sea of marvellous ideas. This may feel overwhelming at times, especially as you’re a practical and results-oriented sign, but you may also welcome the creative outburst or imaginative escape it brings. If you worry that this mental fog makes it hard to function, look no further than the Full Moon on the 8th. That’s sure to highlight all the tasks that still need your attention. A work project may culminate at this time revealing any kinks that still need to be ironed out. Or you may decide that enough is enough and it’s time to make some crucial changes to your lifestyle to improve your health. This is your season and you're an achiever whatever you set your mind upon. The Capricorn New Moon on the 23rd brings a fantastic opportunity to push forward with your most ambitious plans - especially where these have to do with real estate, or with improving your home, family and living situation. Jupiter in Aries from the 20th all the way to May 2023 brings you tons of luck on that front, helping you sell your property, buy your ideal home or make home improvements. While growth is guaranteed it’s not all smooth sailing, however, and you’ll have to do some soul searching too, to avoid silly mistakes. Mercury goes retrograde in your sign on the 29th to stay so all the way til January 18th, and it’s time to thoroughly review your attitude, how you present yourself and what it is you want moving forward. Take time to go over old ground and make sure you’ve covered all your bases.
Aquarius
Are your finances in total chaos, dear Aquarius? Early December may find you unsure of your next steps with both dreams and nightmares filling your head, unable to act. But the clouds soon dissipate and the Full Moon of the 8th shows you just how desirable you are, illuminating your creative talents and even allowing you to return to an old love interest or speculative project that may have fallen by the wayside. This is a romantic Full Moon allowing you to sift through the contents of your heart to put old resentments and rivalries to rest. All the better to clear a path to future creative and romantic fulfilment. Your world springs to life at the Solstice with Jupiter opening the doors wide for you to make important contacts and even put paperwork in place to help you expand your influence now and all the way til next May. The holidays lend themselves to some much needed downtime to spiritually defrag, debug and declutter your life, ready to move into 2023 with a lighter step. Mercury retrograde from the 29th til January 18th helps you do just that, sorting through the files of your subconscious. This is a new beginning for your sprit so spend time in bed, meditate, or throw yourself into a creative project - anything to avoid the crowds.
Pisces
Your ruler Neptune stations direct as the month begins, dear Pisces, and inspiration flows abundantly. But your emotions are also heightened. You may be off with the fairies, yearning for what could be, lamenting what could have been, and generally having lost the plot. Let it all wash over you for, as you head to the Full Moon of the 8th, things start gaining sharper definition once more - especially when it comes to your home and living situation. Your mind may be on repairs or other corrective steps you need to take at home, with a family member or a property matter, and this Full Moon could show you the way forward. Luck is on your side with Jupiter in your sign til the 20th. After that, Jupiter graces your financial sector so that is great news if you want to increase your earnings or spend money to make your life more luxurious - most likely both! Jupiter will boost your finances and your self confidence all the way til next May and that’s the time to pull out all the stops. The Solstice New Moon energises your dreams and aspirations for the future, opening doors wide for you to move toward them. You’re going to have to take some financial risks, so all the better that you have Jupiter on your side! Take a moment to get clear on what you aspire to and find like-minded people to help you get there. Mercury retrograde from the 29th til January 18th helps you reconnect with old friends to ground your life, revisit your dreams and redefine the contribution you want to make in the world.
Image by Aaron Burden from Unsplash
Article by YourAstroGenes