Holiday greetings, Santa Cruz County stargazers! Yuletide solstice blessings to everyone. December begins with a Full Moon, 13°03’ Gemini, on the 4th at 3:14 pm Pacific time. A “supermoon,” La Luna is also “out of bounds” at extreme declination. An out-of-bounds Moon gives it an unconventional spin, a heightened emotional time when the Moon is beyond the rational restraint of the Sun. In Gemini, this Full Moon sets the stage for some playful curiosity, exploring “outside the box” of your preconceived notions of things. Engage in some lively conversation and seek new stimulation by doing something out of your ordinary routine. Now for something completely different! Think of the song, Sugar Magnolia, “Sometimes when the cuckoo’s crying…I take me out and I wander ‘round…wander round!”
Mars, the planet of our will, our desire to defend, and our passions, is also out of bounds all December, first in Sagittarius early in the month, then December 14th and after, in Capricorn. On December 8th, Mars at 25°15’ Sagittarius squares Saturn in Pisces, 4:15 pm. Watch out for people being too pushy with their opinions or too self-righteous, when really they do a lot better by stretching their imaginations and thinking boldly with an open mind. Once in Capricorn, out-of-bounds Mars might lead to too much control or too much strategy when working with others. Best to put yourself into action by striving for a goal, a mountain to climb, maybe one different and unique.
Neptune. NASA photo.
On December 10th at 4:23 am, Neptune stops in the sky to station direct, 29°22’ Pisces, after moving retrograde since early July. Make the most of Neptune’s last weeks in Pisces by seeking moments of silence, meditation, or creative visualization. The holiday season is such a crazy time of busyness and rushing around for many folks. And then the holiday parties! Certainly, a beautiful time of gatherings with those we love. But this stationary period of Neptune says make sure to take time for reflection and being with the “Divine,” however that may work for you. On December 14th, Mars in Sagittarius squares Neptune. Think differently about your spiritual path and expand your personal philosophy into fresh new directions.
While slow-moving Neptune is at 29° Pisces all month, the planet of spiritual consciousness and imagination forms a sextile (60-degree angle) with Uranus retrograde at the end of Taurus and Pluto in early degrees of Aquarius. Contemplate what needs to change for you to be true to yourself and for you to find peace. Uranus wants you to wake up to what brings stability, calm and pleasure into your life and the planet supports a “vision quest” to create the necessary dream. “Goin’ where the wind goes, blooming like a red rose!”
The New Moon, 28°24’ Sagittarius, on December 19th, 5:43 pm, continues the “out of bounds” theme, while Sun and Moon square Saturn and Neptune in Pisces. Once again, best advice for this holiday season is to think “there must be another way of looking at this”! Have faith in the process that dreams DO come true, but it takes a willingness to break old paradigms. “Sunshine daydream”! Sun enters Capricorn two days later, on December 21st, at 7:03 am. Happy winter solstice, everyone! The darkest day of the year sets the perfect mood for turning inward and planting new seeds about our best goals to set for 2026.
Venus, like the Moon, is out of bounds on solstice. In late Sagittarius, Venus squares our visionary parade (Saturn and Neptune) in Pisces, encouraging us to tap into our creative muse or find the right partners in support of our new perspectives or plans. Venus enters Capricorn December 24th, 8:25 am. Venus in Capricorn likes holiday traditions, but, it is out of bounds, so be unconventional in your approach.
New Year’s Eve should be full of firecrackers this year! Moon, Mercury, Venus AND Mars are all out of bounds on the 31st. Remember planets at extreme declination fall outside the range of the Sun. As the song goes, “Head’s all empty and I don’t care…”Let the rational mind go, listen to your heart for a new direction, and les bons temps rouler! “Come on, honey, come along with me”!
