In the Stars December 20-27, 2020...shining light on the astrology of the week: Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is Monday, December 21st when the Sun ingresses into Capricorn, signaling the beginning of winter. The Solstice is the darkest day of the year, when we begin to turn toward greater light. Saturn and Jupiter conjunct at 0 degrees of Aquarius. Discovery and innovation, community and collaboration, and humanitarian concerns are all expressions of Aquarius. These themes will be strong in the coming year. It’s a new day. Expect to see new inventions, immigrant issues in the foreground, and a new government.

The days leading up to Christmas Day, as well as the new year hold a lot of tension and challenging planetary energy due to the Mars-Pluto-Eris alignments. Keep things simple. Stay grounded, and channel frustration into exercise, dance, and creative projects.

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Sunday’s Moon-Neptune conjunction in Pisces heightens our intuition and imagination. If we can let go of any guilt or victimization, we are free to raise our vibration for the good of ourselves and humanity. This alignment opposes the asteroid Vesta, inviting us to let go of commitments and work patterns that do not support our higher calling. Mercury enters Capricorn, bringing focus and discernment to the day and the weeks ahead.

The Winter Solstice is the big cosmic event on Monday, and what a special Solstice it is! The Sun enters Capricorn tropically, marking the first day of Winter. Jupiter and Saturn align at 0:29 degrees of Aquarius, symbolizing a new beginning, a welcome energy given the past year of turbulence that we have experienced. After a void of course period from 2:24 a.m. to 2:32 p.m. the Moon moves into Aries, and aligns in a benefic sextile to the Saturn-Jupiter conjunction in Aquarius. This is a day to envision your future, and seed a new plan for 2021.

Tuesday glows with a lovely Moon-Venus trine in fire signs Aries and Sagittarius. However, a Mars-Eris (dwarf planet) square is hot and unsettling. Do your best to keep balanced and centered on this feisty day.

Continuing Tuesday’s hot and fiery theme, Wednesday boils with tension. Mars makes an exact square with Pluto, and Mars is also square to the Aries Moon. A Mercury-Chiron square remind us of our wounded places. Be sure to get strong exercise, as that’s a good way to burn up some of the tension and frustration, but don’t over-do it. Keep things simple and do your best to stay balanced and open-hearted.

Christmas Eve Thursday holds an exalted Taurus Moon which makes numerous mixed aspects to other planets. The early morning is edgy with the Moon’s squares to Saturn and Jupiter. A brilliant Mercury-Uranus trine generates great ideas and innovative solutions. A Moon-Uranus conjunction may result in a something surprising. Lunar trines to the Sun and Mercury help ground the events of the day. Taurus leads us toward all things sensual, including good food and drink. Celebrate with a divine dinner no matter how few may be at your dinner table this year.

Christmas Day Friday harbors a stunning cosmic alignment: Jupiter and Saturn, conjunct at 0 degrees of Aquarius are also exactly parallel, meaning they are at the same declination, or distance from the ecliptic. A new world order is ushered in and highlighted. A Sun-Chiron square may bring up doubt and fear that will need to be addressed. However, a Sun-Uranus trine, in effect for the next couple of days, invites experimentation and breakthrough, and may bring a few surprises.

Saturday is a quiet day of lighter planetary activity, a welcome relief from the days before with the tight Mars-Pluto-Eris aspects. The Moon is void of course all day until 3:32 p.m. when it moves into Gemini. The void Moon in Taurus calls for a pause. Read a book; cook a unique dish with holiday leftovers, or rake the residual fallen leaves in your yard. The Gemini Moon later in the day makes benefic trines to Jupiter and Saturn. We can begin to feel the glory and promise of the holiday season and the new order.

Surprising things may occur on Sunday in the light of a Sun-Uranus trine. Tune into your intuition, which should be heightened, and envision your future. This aspect invites change, so consider what changes in your life you would like to make in the new year.

Monday is a day for connection and communication. Phone your siblings. Indulge in a good book. Unleash your curiosity.

The Week in Short:

Sunday: Intuition is heightened. Imagination is fueled. Be inspired and creative.

Monday: Winter Solstice! Jupiter and Saturn align at 0 degrees of Aquarius. Seed a new plan for the future.

Tuesday: Love is in the air on this sizzling, unsettling day of mixed energies.

Wednesday: Extremely tense day. Keep things simple. Ground yourself and be open-hearted.

Thursday: Active day with challenges, gifts, and surprises. Please your senses with good food and music.

Christmas Day Friday: We emerge into a new world order. Address fear and doubt with hope. Open to new thought and experimentation.

Saturday: Moon VoC until 3:32 p.m. Relax and tend to routine tasks. Later in the day we can feel the emerging new world order.

Sunday: Expect surprises. Envision a changing future for yourself for the better.

Monday: Connect with your siblings. Unleash your curiousity.

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Ten Things to Do with Venus in Sagittarius (December 15-January 7) 1. Order take-out from an ethnic restaurant, one you’ve never experienced before if possible. 3. Vision your post Covid-19 long-distance trip. 3. Read a book about a far-away country, culture, or religion. 4. Expand your knowledge of metaphysics. 5. Write! 6. Take a course on religious art, foreign language, or something that takes you into another world (possible source: Great Courses). 7. Explore a philosophy or religion through a book, book-on-tape, or a lecture. 8. Take a hike (Sagittarius rules the thighs).

9. Express appreciation to your in-laws. 10. Venus in Sagittarius is idealistic in love: read some love poems that transport you to the ideal!

Moon Void-of-Course: This is the time when the Moon makes its last major angular aspect with a planet before it moves into the next zodiacal sign tropically. This void time, when the Moon is not aspecting a planet, but rather floating on its own, is a time when things don’t come together and it is difficult to make good decisions. Purchases made during void Moons often turn out to be unsatisfactory and not work out. Appointments often don’t come together, and meetings don’t result in progress or sound, lasting decisions. We more easily get lost or meander in trying to get somewhere. The VoC Moon times for the next month are listed below so that you can plan meetings, decisions, and purchases at times when the Moon is not VoC; and use the void times for gardening, reading, and routine task work. Void-of-Course Moon times for the month ahead (one lunar cycle): Pacific Standard Time:

December 21: 2:24 a.m. – 2:32 p.m. (Moon into Aries)

December 23 at 2:51 p.m. through December 24 at 2:55 a.m. (Moon into Taurus)

December 26: 3:31 a.m. – 3:32 p.m. (Moon into Gemini)

December 28 at 7:01 p.m. through December 29 at 2:28 a.m. (Moon into Cancer)

December 31: 5:45 a.m. – 10:58 a.m. (Moon into Leo)

January 2: 1:59 p.m. – 5:12 p.m. (Moon into Virgo)

January 4: 1:33 p.m. – 9:31 p.m. (Moon into Libra)

January 6 at 9:54 p.m. through January 7 at 12:53 a.m. (Moon into Scorpio)

January 8 at 5:58 p.m. through January 9 at 3:14 a.m. (Moon into Sagittarius)

January 10 at 10:29 a.m. through January 11 at 5:29 a.m. (Moon into Capricorn)

January 12 at 11:21 p.m. through January 13 at 8:43 a.m. (Moon into Aquarius)

January 13 at 8:28 p.m. through January 15 at 2:16 p.m. (Moon into Pisces)

January 17: 12:55 p.m. – 11:07 p.m. (Moon into Aries)

GMT (Greenwich Mean Time):

December 19: 8:44 a.m. – 12:38 (Moon into Pisces)

December 21: 10:24 – 22:32 (Moon into Aries)

December 23 at 22:51 through December 24 at 10:55 (Moon into Taurus)

December 26: 11:31 – 23:32 (Moon into Gemini)

December 29: 3:01 - 10:28 (Moon into Cancer)

December 31: 13:45 – 18:58 (Moon into Leo)

January 2 at 21:59 through January 3 at 1:12 p.m. (Moon into Virgo)

January 4 at 21:33 through January 5 at 5:31 (Moon into Libra)

January 7: 5:54 - 8:53 (Moon into Scorpio)

January 9: 1:58 - 11:14 (Moon into Sagittarius)

January 10 at 18:29 through January 11 at 13:29 (Moon into Capricorn)

January 13: 7:21 - 16:43 (Moon into Aquarius)

January 15: 4:28 - 22:16 (Moon into Pisces)

January 17 at 20:55 through January 18 at 7:07 (Moon into Aries)