Forecast for December 2012

Rahu in Scorpio and Ketu in Taurus
There is a chapter closing in our lives now that the nodes are about to move.  We are going to experience the change and growth in other areas of our life, as another chapter begins in January.  This change of the nodal position creates a tense environment, as anytime a new phase emerges we prepare to let go of old ways of being.

This transition has added tension due to a yoga that is formed in Scorpio where Rahu is currently placed.  Saturn is placed on one side and Mars on the other.  All the planets will experience this tension in one form or another during December. The Sun is currently transiting Scorpio hemmed in between these two malefic planets.  Mercury will join it on the 6th, with Venus and the Moon joining after the 11th.  Jupiter is placed opposite and would seem to keep things somewhat organised and settled, but it is itself together with the transitioning south node Ketu- and it is coming into an exact obstructive aspect to Saturn.

All of this change is making us all feel the changing energies, but few are able to articulate what exactly is going on.  Let us look to the areas of the zodiac in which these transitions and resulting tensions are being felt the most.  


Rahu in Scorpio
If you have your rising sign as Scorpio, the transit of Rahu will have been an obvious one for people around you to see.  You may have asked a lot of yourself and experienced a lot in the last 18 months.  You may have at times been swept away with the chaos.  All of this life experience can be very exciting at times, and no doubt you have done a lot, but the thing with Rahu is that the experience never satiates. 

We all have a deep need to fulfill which we may not tell anyone about, or even be able to admit to ourselves.  This desire which drives us forward is represented by Rahu.  We will trample over anyone who gets in the way; it is so intense a need.  This need comes up in a Rahu period of life, and the transit of Rahu brings this out in the different areas of life.  If you are reading this and you are not currently experiencing a Rahu cycle in your life then it may not relate, but look at the previous period you experienced Rahu if you have your Vedic planetary periods, and you may recall what was going on then.

Hopefully you have developed the wisdom in dealing with this, as a Rahu period naturally flows into a Jupiter one.  Once Rahu moves out of Scorpio, Jupiter will be looking on from Taurus to bring some of the much needed wisdom into this area of life.

Scorpio deals with the hidden aspects of life, and is why so many cannot articulate what is going on for them in these changing times.  The pressure felt in Scorpio will ultimately lead to a release, as we move into the next phase of the nodal transits in January 2013.  

To sum it up in a quote from William Blake who explains the effects of Rahu and the latter influence of Jupiter:

''The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom'. 


Ketu in Taurus
Ketu transiting this sign may have made us feel that there was little point or desire to continue in the ways that we have been accustomed to in this area of life.  For those with Taurus as their rising sign, this effect would have been much more personal and a sense of disillusionment resulting.  The finer things in life we love to explore in this area may have brought with them a sense of disappointment during this time.  This has been Ketu's job in the last 18 months.  Whatever area of life you experience this need to indulge (i.e. where you have the sign Taurus) will have experienced this dissatisfaction.

Just as with Rahu, the south node Ketu shows an area of life which we often cannot admit to ourselves.  The hidden aspects of our life and the hidden agendas have taken place in Taurus in the last year and a half.  Jupiter's presence here until May will bring a much needed sense of grace into this area of our lives, without the intensity of Ketu. 

Though Jupiter has been here since May of this year, and will continue until next May, it hasn't been able to express its most benevolent character.  This changes in January when Ketu moves out of Taurus and leaves Jupiter on its own to influence the sign.


Mercury re-enters Scorpio Dec 6th - Dec 27th
Mercury slips back into the murky waters of Scorpio where we have to deal with the hidden mysteries of life once again.  We may not be able to keep it as rational as we may like, but the capability is there to investigate what is going on with the changes in December and into January. Try to keep things as calm as possible in the run up to the holidays.  It would be advisable to take as much time out as possible in December. Communications can become strained and muddled, as we try and make sense of our feelings in a rational way.  Good luck with that by the way!

In a general sense Mercury in Scorpio is good for some research work, looking into the depths of our being to find out what gives us strength.  Communicating this to ourselves and others will be of use to us while Mercury transits Scorpio until the end of December, but be aware that communication will not be a smooth process.  Discrimination will be hard to come by, making this month an inopportune time to make any important decisions. 

This may be a confusing time for us, as we try to logically make some sense of what is going on.  It will be a tense time, as Mercury is hemmed in between Saturn and Mars.   We are going through a lot of changes and our minds need to process these before we can make any sense of them.

Be patient with this process.


Venus enters Scorpio Dec 11th - Jan 4th
Venus enters Scorpio shortly after Mercury and we may find some pleasure in delving deep.  Dealing with the shadow nature can be a pleasurable affair, but it is all too easy to get hurt in the process.  If you have Venus in Scorpio in your birth chart then this will be a Venus flavour you will be very familiar with. With Rahu lying in wait for Venus as it enters the sign, we may see some risky sexual behaviour in December.  There is a good chance of some scandals as a result of this transit, especially with Mercury getting in on the act, keeping us all informed. 


 Venus in Scorpio expresses itself by learning to love the dark side of our sexual nature.  We may go to the dark in many ways with Venus.  This may be through jealousy, revenge, vindictiveness, power games or passive aggressive behavior in relationships.  These may be far too dark for your own natural Venus expression, but nonetheless this December and into the New Year we are going to get a flavor of a more aggressive Venus.  With Saturn and Mars hemming Venus in we also feel the tension in our relationships and our bank accounts.  This will come as no surprise to those saving for a picture perfect holiday season.

One way to express this more aggressive Venus is to dance.  If you have an office party to go to then enjoy the physical act of dance.  


New Moon in Scorpio Dec 13th
The Moon will move into its debilitation for the new Moon day (Amavaysa) in the sign Scorpio.  The dark Moon being debilitated and hemmed in between the malefic planets Saturn and Mars is a time to take care emotionally.  The Moon represents our heart which seeks comfort.  Scorpio is where we go to any length and depth to find out about how we tick.  This is not a comfortable place for our hearts and minds.

As the Moon wanes and joins the Sun in Scorpio on the 13th, we are offered a time of reflection which can benefit us if we use the time constructively.  This would be a good time to contemplate the changes taking place.  This is not a time to be rushing around in the midst of the Christmas chaos, soaking up the stress around, as opposed to the holiday cheer.  This is especially the case around the middle of the month. 

When the Moon transits Scorpio the cheer becomes a little more like a shout, as we feel more vulnerable with this position.  Keep the day as quiet as possible.  Jupiter is looking on from the opposite sign in Taurus, which does at least give us some joy.  We may look to the very tangible things in our environment to access this joy.  Family and food are just two of these which are experienced in abundance at this time of year. 


Sun enters Sagittarius Dec 15th
The Sun leaves Scorpio on the 16th, leaving behind Venus and Mercury to enjoy their power games in Scorpio.  The Sun arrives in a stronger position in readiness for the birthing process once again on December 25th.  After dealing with the hidden aspects of the psyche, the Sun now enters a more philosophical period, bringing light to our beliefs and religious inclinations.

Even those who may never visit a place of worship all year round are prone to a religious celebration or two at this time of year.  Sagittarius is where we develop a philosophical approach to life, after the soul-searching has been done in Scorpio.  We are all religious in the truest sense of the word which means 'to tie back' a set of beliefs we hold.  Jupiter being the ruler of Sagittarius is the planet which represents the beliefs we live by.  We all go through life with a set of beliefs; even if we choose not to believe in a power greater than ourselves that we put down solely to an experience of a 'religious' person.  We all tie together what we have found to work for us in terms of what we believe. 

This time of year is a good time to tune into what that is.  Someone may have a belief in food for example.  If there is an emphasis on this in the birth chart involving Jupiter, a person may believe in a way of cooking, which follows a set of rules which are beyond what is necessary for a satisfactory culinary experience.  If you cook Italian you may refer to an Italian cookbook which tells you have to prepare the food.  A food Bible if you will!  So whatever your religion, enjoy the meaning your 'religion' gives you in life at this time of year.


Sun in Moola Nakshatra 
The Sun enters Moola Nakshatra on December 15th as it enters the sign Sagittarius.  This lunar sign begins at the very beginning of the sign Sagittarius.  Moola represents our roots and is symbolized by a bunch of roots tied together.  Ketu rules this sign and represents our connection to our past lives.

Moola also points to the galactic center, representing our origins.  The Sun passes this lunar sign at this time every year.  This year we also see the end of the long count Mayan calendar on the 21st.  Saturn and Jupiter are in an obstructive and transformational aspect by exact degree, with Saturn looking at the Sun in Sagittarius.  The inclusion of Pluto at this exact degree in Sagittarius gives us an even more transformational aspect, completing what is known as a Yod formation.  Though the outer planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are not classically studied in Vedic astrology, they hold a story which, when one of these interact with the visible planets, add their voice to the changing environment.  

An end to old ways of being is being highlighted on a larger scale when the slower moving planets get involved.  Venus, the ruler of both Jupiter and Saturn's signs during this transit, will be transiting opposite to Jupiter in Scorpio, as we see Venus continue in its role as the main player in this years planetary line-up. Though Venus represents peace, we cannot expect this at least initially, as Venus is in Mars' sign Scorpio, representing an inner battle being waged. 


Solstice
The shortest day of the year is one where we should be preparing for, in a way in which we can move with the Sun's path, not against it.  The Sun goes through a transition as it moves its direction.  Whether you live in the northern or southern hemisphere, it is a time to pay attention to the shift in direction, foretelling longer or shorter days to come, depending on where you live.

Take the weeks before the solstice to move inward more and care for yourself.  Take the time to reflect on the changes at this time of year, but also the bigger changes which are happening over a longer period of time. 


Mars exalted in Capricorn from Dec 18th - Jan 25th 2013
Mars enters its sign of exaltation on the 18th and takes the pressure off Scorpio, while giving its sign more strength.  That is because Scorpio no longer has Mars on one side and Saturn on the other, creating this tense environment.  Mars in Capricorn is at its strongest so those with Aries or Scorpio as their rising sign will feel the strength of this transit over the holiday period and into the New Year.  Jupiter's aspect from Taurus on Scorpio and on Mars itself, adds to the power and expansion, creating an environment where we can tackle the demons head on.

Mars has been feeling hard done by since the summer, delaying our plans and creating frustrations as a result.  Now that it is in dignity and receiving a beneficial aspect from Jupiter, expect good things from the planet of war.  Use this energy to wage your own war on whatever is causing you to feel weak. 

This will be a good time to set a goal and stick to it.  Mars is the part of us which can tackle our weaknesses and deal with them head on.  With such a strong Mars we have the courage and strength to get up and go.
It is also leaving the influence of a constricting Saturn, which has had its eye on it in the last few weeks. 
We can start that new diet and exercise regime, or deal with the person who has been making us feel weak.  Draw a line and make sure no one crosses it this holiday season.  Draw a line for yourself and act with the courage of Mars to make sure you take advantage of this powerful Mars.


Rahu enters Libra and Ketu enters Aries Dec 23rd - Jan 13th
We have been dealing with a lot of imagined fears around the end of the Mayan calendar.  This has increased in the last year and a half as the nodes transited in debilitation. Things are now going through a major change.  It could be likened to a storm brewing, where we feel the anticipation and all the imagined fears.  We fear the worst in a lot of cases.  This has been the effect of Rahu in Scorpio especially, as Scorpio deals with our hidden fears and vulnerabilities, while Rahu has been exaggerating these in the past 18 months.    

Now with Rahu and Ketu moving, we are going to experience the actual storm.  You know that when the storm actually hits, there is on one hand the sense of excitement with getting on with what has to be done, or just the awe of watching such a storm in your life.  Be careful that you do not get too whipped up and away with it all of the change. There is a lot of excitement due next year with Rahu in Libra with Saturn, all creating a disturbance in the air element.  This disturbance is at least a relief from the imagined fears we had around it.  So things will actually lighten up tremendously.  The world will not end and life will go on.  Though you may express how ridiculous a notion it was that the world would end, there is still a part of you which listened to those that said that it would.  That is the Scorpio part of you. More accurately that the is the Rahu in Scorpio part of you!

The dates on which Rahu and Ketu move can be viewed as either December 23rd or January 13th.  This is because of a difference in the calculation which takes into account the actual movement of the nodes (true nodes) and the calculated mean nodes.  The mean nodes are calculated to move on December 23rd, while the true nodes move on January 13th.  Whichever is to be observed, there is a change taking place between these dates, and so the holiday season is one of a great transition in our lives. 

It will be an exciting year in 2013 and a destructive year.  It will be a year when things change at a faster pace than they have for some time.  Saturn in Libra is allowing us to work away slowing at the contracts in our lives, while Rahu joining in will create sudden leaps forward.  Rahu expands wherever it goes, so the expansion of an exalted Saturn is the ability to deal with our karma, taking on the responsibilities, especially in relation to one another.

Our relationships, business dealings, politics and financial institutions are going to take a great leap in the next few years overall. Look to the sign Libra to see which area of your life this exciting storm will pick up for you personally in 2013. 


Mercury enters Sagittarius Dec 27th
Mercury leaves the shadows of Scorpio and comes out from the depths with a more positive and hopeful frame of mind.  Even though our sense of things changing in the coming years has been there for some time, Mercury allows us to think more rationally about these while it is placed in Sagittarius.

While it transits Scorpio over the month of December this will not be the case overall.   Now we can look to our ideals with a more logical approach.  December 21st will have come and gone.  We will still be here and dealing with the practicalities of living.  Mercury will ensure we keep things as optimistic as possible.


Full Moon in Gemini Dec 28th 
The year ends with a full Moon.  A very appropriate full Moon, with the Sun in Ketu's sign Moola, and the full Moon in Rahu's sign Ardra.  During the transition of the nodes into Libra and Aries we are offered a time to balance the nodal axis with this full Moon.

The myth of the demon being separated into a head (Rahu) and headless body (Ketu), tells us the story of our own divided self.  The Universe is always seeking wholeness and this is expressed through us.  We may have to dabble in the shadows at times, and especially this month as the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Rahu transit Scorpio.  We also have to find the light and clarity from our delving. 

This full Moon offers us this balancing point where we can look to the eye of the storm for some calm in the midst of these changes.  The symbol of Ardra is a teardrop, a sign of turbulence and destruction, ruled by Rahu which represents disturbed air.  There may be natural disasters before mother nature calms down again, just as there may be emotional outbursts which, once experienced, can lead to a sense of peace. 

OM TAT SAT
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