Final Lunar Month of 2023 - Changing Traditions
Welcome to the Monthly Astrology Snapshot for the next lunar month beginning at the Sagittarius New Moon happening December 12th/13th. This contains:
Overview of the Major Astrological Transits for the lunar month including a deep dive into the New Moon & Full Moon Themes.
Join my Patreon Community (starting at only $8 AUD) for a deeper exploration of these themes, horoscopes, bespoke rituals based on the more esoteric meaning of each lunation to help you harness the power of the cycles and more!
NEW MOON AT 20° SAGITTARIUS
Los Angeles: Dec 12th@ 3:32pm
Edmonton: Dec 12th @ 4:32pm
New York: Dec 12th @ 6:32pm
London: Dec 12th @ 11:32pm
Berlin: Dec 13th @ 12:32am
Delhi: Dec 13th @ 5:03am
Bali: Dec 13th @ 7:32am
Brisbane: Dec 13th @ 9:32am
Sydney: Dec 13th @ 10:32am
FULL MOON AT 4° CANCER
Los Angeles: Dec 26th @ 4:33pm
Edmonton: Dec 26th @ 5:33pm
New York: Dec 26th @ 7:33pm
London: Dec 27th @ 12:33am
Berlin: Dec 27th @ 1:33am
Delhi: Dec 27th @ 6:03am
Bali: Dec 27th @ 8:333am
Brisbane: Dec 27th @ 10:33am
Sydney: Dec 27th @11:33am
Things aren't getting better just yet, but also, they aren't getting worse. In fact, you may even be able to enjoy the holiday season.
Firstly, the Mars-Saturn square is now separating. I’ve observed this pattern play out in many people’s lives. The key expressions of this astrological signature is frustration, feeling blocked, irritation, a feeling of wanting to do things but not being able to right now. I’ve also noticed lots of power struggles and people being tense with each other. We are all going through a big shift and these negative cycles ripple through the whole collective.
However, as we progress through this lunar month, which begins at the new moon in Sagittarius on December 3rd, this dynamic will be easing off and this will leave Mars unrestrained by Saturn. Saturn brings structure and form and Mars is pure life force and passion so by the time we get to the new moon, we will be feeling the energy of Mars again (for good and/or for bad) as Mars will be conjunct this new moon. Watch out for the heightened energies. The last 2 lunation’s were also conjunct Mars and they were both noticeably intense!
Some more potentially frustrating energy is that Mercury, now in Capricorn, will go retrograde at the new moon as this lunar month begins. It’s not easy to have Mercury retrograde during the holiday season. However there are also some advantages to this such as being able to get really organised and this is because this retrograde journey begins in Capricorn - the sign of organisation. The best way to mitigate the potential negative side effects could be as simple as trying to be as organised as possible this holiday season. Write lists!
Also, do your best to try and avoid miscommunication problems. Stay with the facts and try to not lead with your emotions. So much is being stirred up and erupting through the greater cycles in the world, but you don’t have to get caught up in it. Let it all happen and do your best to avoid being pulled into emotional drama. Stay with the facts and you will be supported throughout the rest of 2023.
As we lead up to the end of the year, be aware that for many people this won’t be a usual holiday season, there is a different vibe to it. It’s as though we are collectively realising that the insane consumerism has reached some kind of tipping point and you may find yourself feeling a bit uncomfortable with mindless spending. If you are feeling this way, lean into it and open yourself to new ways of being with these times. Get creative and explore new and innovative ways to celebrate and connect with the people you love.
This holiday season, you are invited to let go of old, outdated traditions.
For the rest of 2023, Pluto will be in the final degree of Capricorn and this is one of the last chapters of a very intense cycle of breaking down and dismantling old outdated traditions. As we know the holiday season is a time of many long held and generally unquestioned traditions and with this powerful greater cycle at play, why don’t you embrace this energy as a time of questioning and potentially renewing traditions that are caught up in old values and beliefs that no longer reflect who you are or what your true personal values are.
Plus, with Jupiter still retrograde in Taurus (the sign ruling over finances), there’s the sense that you may be feeling a desire to spend less on frivolous and meaningless gifts. Taurus rules over what we value and Jupiter wants to bring expansion and blessings and when retrograde, the blessings will be found internally not externally.
This holiday season is inviting you to maybe think about creating new traditions? Go with it. There are endless ways to love, create and enjoy your time that don’t require excessive consumption of things. Be creative! Embrace exploring something new.
Then we get to the deep full moon this lunar month which arrives just after Christmas day landing in that weird in-between time between Christmas and New Year. This full moon is a super deep feeling lunation so watch out for emotional intensity. However, on the positive side this full moon may have you wanting to connect with your family and loving community. Gather with those you love and take some time to appreciate the people in your life. But remember, emotions may be running high so please be aware to not let the emotional drama escalate unnecessarily!
Jupiter starts turning direct December 30th/31st - Happy New Year!
But Jupiter stations to turn direct just days and in the first days of 2024! This bodes well for us all collectively! Jupiter can bring a renewed sense of hope, optimism and faith and the human race really needs this right now! Plus multiple planets are back in Sagittarius by then and Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius so this will boost bigger solutions that support the truth and the people!
By the end of this lunar month both Jupiter and Mercury will have turned direct and this leaves just Uranus in retrograde in Taurus. But this will shift just days into the next lunar month and everything will shift again. One foot comes of the break and the other pumps the accelerator - and then everything changes! This is when 2024 really begins!
Major Transits for the Lunar Month
(i) MERCURY RETROGRADE IN CAPRICORN
December 13th - January 2nd - Interesting dynamics over the holiday season.
This is an interesting time to have a Mercury retrograde cycle! However, we have been experiencing way more intense cycles so this should feel like a walk in the park.
The most common problem with Mercury retrograde is miscommunication. This can of course happen in so many ways but when Mercury is retrograde in Capricorn, this can manifest in the way that we communicate things such as plans. The key to navigating this cycle is to stay with the facts.
This retrograde cycle may have you feeling frustrated with trying to get things organised. The holiday season is not an ideal time for this dynamic to be playing out however, there are always work arounds. For example, write lists. The more organised you are the more this retrograde cycle will actually support you.
Making plans where you can’t act now but you’re feeling prepared. Mercury in Capricorn is helpful with getting your structures in order. Getting organised is supported by this and having a solid plans. Also, stay with the facts as your guide through any tricky situations.
(ii) MARS-MERCURY CONJUNCTION IN SAGITTARIUS
December 28th (active a few days either side) - Intense communication.
Mars activates and Mercury is all about how we communicate. This is a time to really watch how you communicate. As this is the in-between Christmas-New Year time and many people are with family or at home and spending time with people you don’t always spend lots of time with, be aware of this. Avoid emotional drama as much as you can, especially around the full moon on the 26th/27th as this is a time where things can be supercharged!
(iii) JUPITER DIRECT IN TAURUS
December 30th/31st - Some uplifting energy - Happy New Year!
This feels like the blessing we all know we need! Jupiter is the great benefic and bringer of positive wisdom and blessings! This bodes well generally for 2024 as Jupiter stationing to turn direct just as we begin the year means that there will be a strong flavour of Jupiter moving forwards and building power throughout the year.
Jupiter is also the planet of expansion and he has been expanding and blessing the areas of Taurus. Taurus rules over finances, resources and value. Jupiter is going through a huge process of expanding everything to do with these areas - for good and for bad!
Expansion is not always a good thing and this dynamic of Jupiter expanding finances and resources throughout 2024 will potentially manifest as times of great disruption in the financial markets, food supplies, the Earth itself and the value of things will continue going through a huge process.
This will all be exacerbated by the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in 2024 in Taurus. This is going to be a huge activation. Uranus is always unpredictable so no one really knows exactly how this will manifest, but it will be a big year for sure! I’ve explored this huge activation and more in my 2024 Astrology Forecast which will be only available to people who have subscribed to receive this Monthly Astrology Snapshot direct to there inbox! If you aren’t already, you can subscribe here.
Major Lunar Themes
(i) NEW MOON IN SAGITTARIUS
December 12th/13th depending where you are in the world.
This new moon is wanting to push us forwards as it is trine the North Node which represents our collective potential for evolution. You can think of the North Node as an arrow pointing forwards, directing you towards your future and you highest potential.
However the North Node is sandwiched by Chiron (the original wound) and Eris (the goddess of discord). We are being forced to heal by acknowledging the wound, and sometimes the process of knowing what your wound is follows a period of great chaos. But you can not apply the right medicine if you don’t know exactly what’s causing the sickness and this lunar month is inviting us all to get clear on what needs healing.
This new moon is also conjunct Mars which only adds to all of the amplified energies. Plus, just to add some more spice to the mix, Mercury turns retrograde in Capricorn within hours of this new moon! Use this energy to plan and if you’re feeling frustrated or like things just aren’t going the way you want them to, then remember reading this and take a breath and remember to smile as you realise that life moves in cycles and this will also shift.
Generally this month, things may not feel like they’re getting any better. In fact this entire lunar month feels like a mixed bag but as always, the advice is to turn within and to listen and new moon time is always the very best time to do this. The world is more quiet during new moon as there is less light and nature seems to calm down making new moons the perfect to time to turn inwards and listen.
With this new moon happening in Sagittarius, if you pull back from the drama, you will be more able to get in touch with a higher vision for yourself as Sagittarius represents the bigger picture!
Maybe you take a moment at this new moon to decide and set a clear intention for your holiday season as opposed to just slamming into it from a busy year? This kind of thinking will be really supported by the cycles, especially Mercury retrograde in Capricorn.
Join my Patreon Community where I will be creating in-depth horoscopes for each sign for each eclipse plus rituals and esoteric teachings
(ii) FULL MOON IN CANCER
December 26th/27th depending where you are in the world.
This full moon is happening in a part of the sky that is associated with deep emotions. Cancer is ruled by the moon and when the moon is full in Cancer, be prepared to feel EVERYTHING at this full moon!
Generally, everything feels amplified at full moon time and with the Mercury-Mars conjunction active, you may find you’re feeling over stimulated or there could be emotional tension in your life.
But Mercury is retrograde so a way to let off some steam would be to embrace the building tension as a moment to stop, try to avoid being overly emotional in a negative way, stay with the facts and then attempt to renegotiate something.
On a positive note, this could be a time of going deep and having the tough conversations with the strong intention of solving a problem and moving forwards towards greater healing and love. However, to pull this off with these kind of astrology patterns playing out will require great wisdom and great mindfulness to use this energy at the highest level possible.
This full moon is trine to Saturn and sextile Jupiter. This can boost any areas of your life you are attempting to be constructive and make plans for with a higher vision for the future to be better.
With the Moon being sextile Jupiter which is sextile Saturn, something positive is wanting to happen so maybe all of the feelings and emotions that are stirring up around this time are coming up for a reason.
Our emotions point towards areas of our lives that require transformation, healing and releasing. Try not to get stuck on the emotions, rather, try to identify where they are coming from and what they are attempting to communicate to you.
Try to listen more with love and compassion for yourself and the people in your life and you will learn so much at this full moon.
Cancer rules over community and connection, take time to embrace and be grateful for the people in your life at this time. Do a full moon release ritual together!
To know what this full moon in Cancer means for you personally check out my bespoke horoscopes, in my Patreon Community.
In Summary:
It is a complex and emotional ending to 2023 but 2024 has a very different energy to it. I’m just finishing up my 2023 Astrology Forecast 30 page eBook that I send out as a free gift to my community every year! In this eBook I go through the major transits and themes for the year so that you can feel prepared and get a heads up on the astrological weather.
I will be pre releasing in December my 2024 Astrology Forecast only to my dear Patreon Community (join here lowest membership $8 AUD). But if you’re happy to wait until the New Year and you’re not receiving this already in your inbox, then subscribe here to get the 2024 Astrology Forecast delivered straight to your inbox in January!
Happy Holiday Season to you all! I will be in a meditation retreat for most of this Holiday Season and will be sending out prayers and love to you all!
With love always,
Paula x
Connect with me on Instagram
I am sharing more and more on Instagram these days so please come over and connect with me there. It’s particularly good if you like receiving information visually (in bite size pieces) throughout the month.
