December often feels like a rush to conclude a bunch of dangling plot threads before the end of the season on a TV show. There are Year End reports at work, pushes to make quotas, and a burst of economic activity that often has people elbowing each other out of the way for last-minute holiday gifts. That’s all fine and well for a TV show, but this is your life — and who wants that pressure? Lots of people get depressed and anxious around now, and maybe that’s only partially the fault of Seasonal Affective Disorder and the pressure to “make merry.”
Stop. Take a moment to catch your breath. We’re about to plunge into some wild times in the near future, astrologically speaking, and the more you think things through in advance, the better your results will be in the long term.
The Sun is in Sagittarius, and Mercury joins it this week. Sagittarius may have the reputation for being a party monster, but it also has its thoughtful, philosophical side… and the year-end rush might make you forget to stop and honor the the reasons we do the thing we do. This is probably the best approach to take, because let’s be honest (now there’s a Sagittarian phrase!): Sagittarius may be thoughtful, but sometimes it isn’t so great at thinking things through. Fortunately, Mars is still in Virgo, and hopefully the compassionate action that placement personifies will prevent the worst possible consequences.
Monday’s New Moon sets the stage for the next couple of weeks, and it is trine Uranus. In the ongoing battle that is the Uranus-Pluto square, that may well tip the balance (at least temporarily) and liberate your Inner Genius to find new solutions to old problems. On the one hand, that’s a recipe for some real breakthroughs. On the other hand, the Mercury trine Mars energy thrown into the mix may give you the boot you need to really put your foot in your mouth, so try to remember that every Inner Genius needs to choose his or her targets wisely.
On Wednesday, Mercury enters Sagittarius. The tendency to foot-in-mouth disease may carry on until Christmas Eve, so certainly some caution is called for. Proofread and edit your words and actions before you cut loose on someone.
Finally, on Saturday, Mars enters Libra. Sometimes one of the great challenges Libra faces in life is to say something nice, or otherwise be pleasant, when confronted by a bunch of crap that most other Signs would either trample, burn down, or blast. And one of the great karmic lessons that comes with Mars is learning how to direct your energies wisely. When put together on an epic-length road trip that lasts until next July, it might sound like one of those odd-couple, road-trip, buddy movies that ends with everyone respecting each other’s differences and getting along okay. Sadly, this is no movie: it’s your life. The next eight months month are going to prove to be a major challenge to relationships and partnerships and to blood pressure overall. Your best move may be to play along with the Sagittarian mood now while it lasts, and try to carry the best of it forward with you.