The Winter Solstice arrives on December 21, 2015, just before midnight Eastern time (11:48 p.m., to be exact). The Gibbous Moon in evergreen Taurus reminds us that winter—whether in nature’s seasons or the seasons of our lives—won’t last forever. The Moon’s opposition to Venus suggests that getting what we need is more important than getting what we want … a good reminder in the days just before the feast of Christmas!
Mercury will be retrograde during this season (January 5 to 25, 2016). It’s a tricky time to initiate New Year’s resolutions, as you may be overlooking key details. But it’s an excellent opportunity to fine-tune the resolutions you’ve already drafted, to ensure they are realistic and have the best possible chance of success.
As we celebrate the gradual return of the Sun, the powerful, warming king of the sky, our thoughts turn to the people whom we admire and consider role models. Who are your teachers, your mentors? Besides your parents, are there people whose influence on your character has been profound? Remember them with gifts of love and appreciation; write a letter to someone who changed your life. Even the most successful people appreciate knowing that they’ve made a difference.
A Living Tree
The Yule log, Christmas tree, and evergreen branches are commonly used to adorn our homes during this season. If a tree is part of your Yuletide celebrations, consider getting a living one grown in a pot that can be transplanted outside your home in the warmer weather. The Moon in Taurus at this solstice favors the symbolism of a live tree growing in your home, festooned with lights, as you imagine it growing taller and stronger toward the Sun’s light.
Mars in Scorpio
On January 3, Mars enters Scorpio. After the diplomacy and restraint of Mars in Libra, Mars in Scorpio is like the cork popping out of a bottle—physical energy surges. If you have not resolved your differences with others, now is the time when the gloves come off. Mars in Scorpio reflects intense focus and concentration in all we do, so it’s an excellent transit for tackling chores that you’ve been putting off, delving into projects that are unpleasant or that require painstaking research, and clearing some of the waste and clutter from your life.
Full Moon in Cancer – December 25, 2015
The Christmas Day Full Moon in Cancer is in good aspect to empathetic Neptune, and any family disagreements at the holiday table will be easily defused. Whether it’s the wine and turkey or the sheer exhaustion of this hectic season, no one quite has the energy or desire to battle it out.
Jupiter in Virgo suggests more belt-tightening than usual in the gift department. This may be due to a cash flow problem, but it’s just as likely that excess just doesn’t seem to appeal much to anybody. Consider taking your loved ones outside after dinner to gaze at the Moon, bright and full in the sign of family, home, and hearth. Give thanks for those who are with you today, as well as the ones who are with you only in memory and in spirit.
Mercury Retrograde (Jan. 5 – 25, 2016)
Mercury, planetary ruler of communication, travel, and trade, is retrograde for three weeks, three times each year. During its retrograde periods, Mercury’s matters are best treated with reflection rather than initiation. If you are driven by deadlines, schedules, and sales goals, Mercury retrograde will often stymie you with malfunctioning electronics and cars, missed messages, lost objects, and road closures. But Mercury’s retrograde periods are beneficial times for catching up; you need only take yourself off your treadmill and take advantage of it. The week before the retrograde begins, back up your computer, make sure your car is in good repair, and gather a handful of projects that have languished and need a little tender loving care to bring them to completion. They will benefit from the introspective quality of Mercury retrograde, and so will you.
New Moon in 19.13 Capricorn – January 9, 2016
The New Moon point is conjoined Pluto and square Uranus, jolting us awake with an explosion of energy. If you enjoy making New Year’s resolutions, you are now chomping at the bit to start putting yours into action. But with Mercury retrograde, it’s still a better time to review last year’s resolutions than to implement new ones. Go ahead and fine-tune your plans for 2016, but hold off until after the 26th to launch them.
We’ve seen so many cardinal sign lunations in difficult aspect to Uranus and Pluto since 2012 that you’d think we’d be used to them by now. But New and Full Moons in Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn continue to trigger frustration and impatience—a tough combination with Mercury retrograde’s slow, reflective style. Look to Mars’s trine to Neptune for an escape hatch; meditation, relaxation, soaking in a hot tub, and ritual are all excellent ways of dealing with the frazzled atmosphere of this New Moon.
Dorothy Morrison’s Ritual for Goal Manifestation
This is one of the best New Moons for goal-setting rituals. I’ve often used this ritual from Dorothy Morrison’s book Everyday Moon Magic with great results! You’ll need:
Paper and pen
Red marking pen
Highlighting pen (any color)
1 yellow candle
Draw a picture of a road that forks in many directions, but leads to the same end. (Don’t worry if you’re not an artist; this drawing doesn’t have to be anything fancy.) Examine the picture and mark the straightest route with the highlighting pen, then write your goal along that route with the red pen.
Light the candle and see yourself traveling directly down the correct path to attaining your goal. Place the map in front of the candle and say something like:
Radiant Mother in the sky
Light my journey from on high
Guide me with your silver glow
So the proper path I’ll know
The path of true accomplishment;
The path for which my dreams are meant
And with that guidance, please allow
That I may manifest them now
And bring them to reality
As I will, so mote it be
Leave the map in front of the candle until the wick burns out, then carry the map with you. (Everyday Moon Magic: Spells and Rituals for Abundant Living, by Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn, 2004.)
Full Moon in Leo – January 23, 2016
This Full Moon in dignified Leo makes a square aspect to Mars in Scorpio. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide whether it is more important to be true to yourself or to compromise in order to get along better with others. At this Full Moon, you must follow your own star. You may be amazed at just how positive the results will be.
Mercury finishes its retrograde period on January 25 with a bang, after making a conjunction to Pluto and a square to Uranus. Dig deep into intellectually stimulating projects; your innovation and focus are formidable at this Full Moon. Plenty of knotty problems have been waiting for the ingenious solutions that you now have to offer.