Midlife Transits

Happy Birthday, Sagittarius! So this is a month when the sun starts out in your sign and then slides into Capricorn right around the same time as a lunar eclipse in Gemini, on December 21. So far, this looks to be a very energetic eclipse, and its field of influence extends into late January. This is the first eclipse in a series that will fall in your sign and Gemini over the next couple of years.

So this eclipse is the one that puts the series in motion. Theoretically, it will put you in motion too. The motion would come via some external force, in this case presumably a spouse, partner, best friend or the like. You won’t know which way the wind is blowing until it gusts in, and then you’ll be off and moving.

Not everyone is affected by any given eclipse, even if the series is energetic. So those of you who aren’t moved by a gusty eclipse will more likely be moved by money, as there’s a lot of action in your financial sector this month. Mercury starts out the month in Capricorn, your money sign, but then it withdraws back into your own sign at mid-month. One interpretation of that, Mercury moving retrograde through your financial sign, would be to keep your friends close and your wallet closer.

Hide the credit cards in the freezer and don’t spend what you ain’t got. Mars is in Capricorn too for most of the month, and he may try mightily to pry open your purse strings (it is the holidays after all), but you’d still be wise to avoid the malls, the ads, the deals, the bargains, and the general desperation of retailers and make all your purchasing decisions based on strict logic and evaluation of value, not ‘savings.’ You aren’t saving anything if you didn’t need to buy it in the first place. If I sound kind of grinchy, of course I am being in tune with these recession-stricken times.

The thing is, these recession-stricken times (which ain’t over yet) have special meaning for your sign. Pluto’s in your money house for so many more years that you won’t recognize your financial self by the time he leaves in the 2020s. And the implication of this is that you are being asked to think of your financial future in the most serious possible terms. Maybe that’s because you have elderly parents that need caring for. Maybe it’s because you’d like to retire one day. Maybe it’s because you have responsibilities and obligations. But when it comes to money, Pluto doesn’t want you to live for the moment any more.

Now, you’ll have plenty of fun in the next 12 months most likely. You’ll get happy vibes from Uranus and Jupiter during 2011. You’re just going to learn how to be happy while honoring your inner ant and admonishing your inner grasshopper to be responsible and grown-up when it comes to what you own, what you spend and what you really value.

You’re a public animal in December, Aries, as planets cycle through your 10th house of visibility. If you’re not actually on public display, you may be mentoring or being mentored, grooming someone or being groomed for a more public role. Older people may play an active role in your career, too. Although the relevant inner planets this month are the sun (from the 21st), Mercury (until the 18th) and Mars (from the 7th) in Capricorn, this is all part of Pluto in Capricorn’s long-term plan for you.

Pluto is planning over the next decade and a half to make you an expert in strategy, career strategy. He’s aiming to make you be seen as an authority in your field, and from time to time he’ll goose up the action so that you learn the ropes.

Over the next year, Uranus in your own sign will be close enough to squaring Pluto that to some folks it will seem like the planets are waging war. On a global scale, we may actually see some war break out. Late November and early December are pretty dang tense, and the bulk of the spring isn’t much better. That doesn’t necessarily mean your own life will be a battleground, although if you were born in March you should probably invest in a camouflage uniform and some metaphorical weapons before you head out into 2011.

But for most of you, what it does mean is that you should know very clearly what it is you’re willing to fight for and live your life accordingly. This is not the time to be out of alignment with your true goals. If it’s not truly worth striving for–drop it.

Finally, I’ve got to mention that there’s a potentially quite energetic lunar eclipse occurring on December 21. This is the sort of eclipse that can bring some shocking news about relatives, especially those outside your immediate family. It’s not likely to affect you personally so much as those around you. If you end up needing to take a leadership role in handling things that affect your relatives, you should do well at the job.

If you’re traveling this month for the holidays, see if you can use your miles or your money to upgrade and travel first class or at least business class. Spring for the best rental car or do what you need to do to be comfortable. An uncomfortable Taurus is a grumpy Taurus. And then–guard your valuables and make backup plans for what you would do if you lost a passport, wallet or credit cards. On top of that, make sure your home is secured while you are gone, that the alarm is on, mail delivery suspended and the neighbors are watching out for your residence.

A couple of things are converging this month. One is a lot of energy in your travel sector and in the patron sign of travel–Sagittarius. No coincidence that this is the busiest travel season of the year, and your sign is one of the ones the planets are trying to push into the madding airport and highway crowd. That’s fairly normal.

What’s not so normal is that this year there’s a lunar eclipse on December 21. It falls in your solar money house. Of all the eclipses, this is the one I see most frequently associated with lost possessions and thefts. That’s not to say that you particularly will be a victim; it’s just to say that you might as well take security measures since it’s the prudent thing to do anyway.

On top of that, Mercury is going retrograde on the 10th. While I don’t believe this spells disaster, I do think you ought to make your plans early this holiday season and with the precision of a military leader. And then be prepared to improvise and adapt to changing conditions.

It’s that kind of a month. A little bobbly, but potentially just fine and dandy if you’re prepared.

A lot going on in December. First, there’s a lot of jolly energy in the sign that represents your spouse, partner, or best friend. Then there’s a lot of leader-y, organized, gruff but strategic energy in Capricorn. Then Mercury throws a tantrum because people aren’t paying enough attention to him and goes retrograde on the 10th. (Listen to this podcast for more information on retrogrades and why Mercury gets more attention during his retrograde periods.)

Finally, there’s a potentially powerful lunar eclipse in your sign on the 21st, the winter solstice. Eclipses in your own sign can be exhilarating and exciting or they can be oppressive and abrupt. They can represent the sudden opportunity you’ve been waiting for or a bit of bad news you didn’t expect.

The news may not be about you specifically; you may learn that a person from your past has died or become ill. There are a lot of possibilities, including the possibility that this eclipse will pass by without notice. Eclipses are like little despots; they don’t let anyone else tell them what to do or how to behave, and they expect you to jump when they address you. It will ultimately be up to you to decide whether to jump and how high.

In spite of all the mixed influences, the bottom line for the month is quite simple. You gotta do what you gotta do. It’ll actually be quite clear in most respects. If you don’t feel compelled to do something, you won’t and you shouldn’t. If you do feel compelled to do something, you will and you should.

This is the time of year when all the planetary power is scheduled to belong to other people. That’s because planets are massing in the sign of Capricorn, which represents in your chart–well, other people. This year, Mercury gets all grumpy in Capricorn. He gets so grumpy, in fact, that he starts retrograding in the sign on the 10th and travels all the way back into Sagittarius and your work sector on the 18th, where he’ll spend the rest of the month.

Mars is in Capricorn also, starting on the 7th. His presence there is yet another indication that you could run into some surly folks this month, in spite of the general social pressure for holiday cheer. All is not lost, however. Venus is in your love life sector and Pluto’s in Capricorn, too.

Pluto has a ruthless reputation so it may not seem like a good thing to have him in Capricorn. And for Cancers born in June, it may not seem like such a blessing right now. But Pluto is a champion schemer and planner for your future. When he hooks up with Venus in Scorpio, as he does this month, he can scheme and plot his way toward some excellent romantic prospects.

If Pluto doesn’t make romance magically appear this December, that doesn’t mean that you can’t do some plotting and planning of your own. If you want a partner, spouse or best friend–figure out how to get one!

There’s also a lunar eclipse in Gemini this month, on the 21st. An eclipse in this part of your chart most commonly indicates that you’ll find out something you didn’t expect about someone you work with. The news isn’t likely to make you happy exactly, but it could prove very enlightening.

Work, work, work. And play, play, play. The playing comes courtesy of Sagittarius energy; the work comes courtesy of Capricorn energy. There’s plenty of both this month. Capricorn’s a bit of a stingy sign, so I suppose that means you shouldn’t expect the company to be springing for any expensive holiday parties, and perhaps the bonuses will be slim to non-existent too this year. That’s not too much of a surprise. The news is full of stories about corporations hoarding cash while expecting more from their employees.

In a sense, that’s okay. Capricorn energy does have some good points. When you’re not out partying thanks to Sag energy, you can spend your nose-to-the-grindstone time at work polishing up your skills.

Mars in Capricorn from the 8th will also encourage you to be devising a plan of action to follow if you want a new job or a better situation. Next month’s eclipse in Capricorn can actually bring you the opportunity for that job if you keep your eyes peeled for any chance at a fresh start in terms of employment. In the big picture, the planets are aiming to make you see that you have the capability to accomplish something meaningful in your work and they hope you do so.

In the meantime, there’s a lunar eclipse in Gemini this month on the 21st. Indications are that it could be a powerful one. A lunar eclipse in this sector often means the universe is giving you the ability to dump a friend that you’ve outgrown. No guilt-tripping over it. You’ll make new friends and it’ll be good for both of you in the long run.

Happy month for Virgo, especially if you like holiday-themed projects or making a project out of the holidays! This is pretty typical behavior for Virgo, but this month does have some unusual features. Mercury goes retrograde on the 10th, for one thing, and stays that way until the 30th. There’s also a lunar eclipse in Gemini on the 21st.

Lunar eclipses are unpredictable. This one could affect your career. You may suddenly decide that you want to do something quite different with your professional life or you may run into strange circumstances surrounding your boss or an assignment. Some Virgos will end something in their career, voluntarily or even involuntarily.

The cosmic hubbub could be a bit stressful, but your powers of recuperation are strong, thanks to a mass of energy in compatible Capricorn. Capricorn also happens to be the sign in your solar chart that represents gambling or games of chance. I’m not encouraging any wild speculation on your part, but maybe buying a raffle ticket or two wouldn’t be a bad idea.

This is also travel month. Planets in Sagittarius urge everyone to make their annual holiday journeys. For Virgo, this theoretically means trekking back to the family of origin or taking a trip to see the kids. You also have planetary permission to take a trip purely for pleasure or for business.

Sagittarius rules long journeys rather than short ones–does this mean that you could do with a longish vacation away from work? If circumstances permit, perhaps a bit of a rest wouldn’t hurt.

All month you are scheduled to be your usual capable self when it comes to family and domestic matters. I’m not exactly going to say that everything will run like a well-0iled machine though. Mercury will go retrograde on the 10th and stay that way until the 30th. That may trip a few things up. And since warlike Mars will be stomping through your home and family sector, there may be a few times when you feel like fleeing the house. But the beauty of your chart is that you can. You’ve still got Neptune in your happiness sector (till early next year), and that indicates that you can escape when you need to.

Admittedly, you may end up escaping into your job, but hey if that works… You do actually have some fairly intense energy in your job sector, as Uranus in that part of your chart will be going direct on the 5th. Jupiter will be playing bumper cars with Uranus toward the end of the month, which could indicate a time of super-busyness just after Christmas. Uranus does tend to be a stress case and he loves unusual circumstances, so goodness knows what’ll happen at work when he starts playing games with Jupiter.

The other element of unpredictability for the month comes from a lunar eclipse in Gemini on the 21st. This is the sort of eclipse that can indicate sudden overseas travel or unusual events when traveling outside of one’s own country. Occasionally, it also signals the beginning of a process toward actually relocating to another country. For most, things won’t be that dramatic though. You may get an educational opportunity, a chance to teach or encounter some other circumstance that allows you to show off your intellect. You may also decide to drop some intellectual activity or course of study that just isn’t paying off for you.

Venus is in your sign all month. People love you! It will be good to remember that, because this is traditionally an odd time of year for Scorpio. There’s a lot of cultural emphasis on home and family and tradition during the holiday season. Scorpio, however, has the sign of Aquarius in its home and family spot (in the solar chart based on sun sign). Aquarius as a sign needs distance and it’s the sign of rebellion. Ergo, there is a natural impulse in the Scorpio chart to crave distance from family or to rebel against the freedom-suffocating obligations of home and tradition. So a fair number of Scorpios end up feeling like exiles at this time of year. Even Scorpios who love home and family find odd circumstances pulling them away at this time of year.

This year, you may be able to take comfort in friends, your love life, your social life or even in creative projects. Uranus goes direct this month on the 5th in your sector of all these things. You may actually feel a boost of energy around this time. Uranus also hooks up with Jupiter in this sector at the end of the month, with the days after Christmas being especially fruitful. If you have any artistic leanings now might be a good time to let them come out and play. With plenty of Sagittarius action this month in your spending sector, laying down some bucks on entertainment could also be a mood-lifter.

Speaking of money, there’s a lunar eclipse in Gemini this month at the solstice (December 21). This is the first in a series of eclipses theoretically designed to make you an expert in financial affairs over the next couple of years. Eclipses generally come in the form of surprises, and this one falls in your sector of joint finances and non-ordinary income. Gemini is a knowledge-seeking sign, so the key to handling the news is getting the facts. You need to understand exactly what’s going on in your financial life. If you’ve been avoiding financial matters, now would be the time to pay attention.

Abundant energy in generous Sagittarius and in your own sign this month. Plenty of hubbub if you care to participate in it, gifts to buy, frivolity to indulge in.  You’ve also got a lovely influence this month in the form of Venus in Scorpio, which represents your friendship sector. For susceptible Capricorns this can mean a hook-up with a friend or getting back in touch with a friend from the past. For all Capricorns, it should bode well for your social life.

Yet more hubbub is on tap in December courtesy of Uranus and Jupiter in the sector of your chart that deals with errands and your daily schedule. When Uranus goes direct on the 5th, you may feel as though your schedule is suddenly speeding up. To get everything done, you may need to examine your daily planner with the eye of scientist, rationally plotting out what needs to be done and when exactly you can do it. After Christmas, things get potentially even busier, as Jupiter and Uranus conjoin for a festival of frenetic activity.

There’s also a lunar eclipse in Gemini on the 21st, the day the sun moves into your sign. This is a work-related eclipse for you, potentially quite energetic, and apt to strongly affect those Capricorns in technical or scientific fields. Normally it would mean that something you thought was true about your workplace or co-workers isn’t. It could indicate things like exaggerated layoff rumors or the gossip mill spreading wild speculations that turn out to be untrue. I won’t necessarily say that all will be revealed at the time of this eclipse, but something is likely to be revealed within a month of this date, something that puts a new spin on your work situation.

This is the last Christmas/holiday season you’ll spend with an outer planet in your sign for more than a decade to come. You’ve had outer planet attention for so long that by the time Neptune leaves in spring 2011, you may feel oddly lonely at not being buffeted about by strange cosmic forces. Neptune in your sign, now on his goodbye tour, represents your sign’s intended disillusionment with cold hard rationality and intended embrace of the power of irrationality. We are near the end of the process of a major change in your style, and it’s all to the good. It allows other people to find you more accessible and helps you connect with them. What better time than the holiday season to embrace the irrational power of warm fuzzies, to dish them out and receive them in equal measure.

This is also Sagittarius month, which means it’s friendship month for Aquarius. This is when you discover the state of your friendships. At the new moon on the 5th, set an intention or make a wish that all your friends be true ones and that you may be a true friend to all those you care about. Mercury also happens to be retrograde in Sagittarius from the 18th through the 30th. This can mean re-connecting with old friends. Since Sagittarius is an international sign, you may also be connecting with friends from other countries.

Your ruler, revolutionary Uranus, is also active this month. He goes direct on the 5th. This is also the last Christmas he’ll be able to kick your finances around. He’s been trying to make them practically ungovernable for the last 7 years, and you’ll probably be happy to see him leave for more compatible Aries next spring.

Finally, there’s a lunar eclipse in Gemini on the 21st. It could affect your social life, your love life, your children, or even your creative output. It would normally do so in the form of sudden news or a surprise. This looks to be a rather energetic eclipse, so if it doesn’t affect you directly, you may notice its effects on others around you or on society at large.

Lots of Capricorn energy this month; Mars enters the sign on the 7th. The sun, Mercury and Pluto will also be in this sign during December. Capricorn is a sign of conformity and realism. This isn’t exactly where the sign of Pisces lives; it’s the subconscious or internal world, neither conforming nor realistic, where Pisces and its ruler Neptune make their home.

Still, Capricorn can be good for you. It’s the sign of friendship for Pisces and can indicate that fact-oriented friends can help balance out your own sign’s more artistic leanings. It’s also the sign of your perspective on society and can help give you a healthy respect for tradition and structure–helpful at this most traditional time of year. With so much action in Capricorn this December, you should have energy for plenty of getting together with friends and doing the traditional holiday things. Sounds like fun.

If there are any flies in the ointment this year, they come from those pesky outer planets. Pluto in that same sign of Capricorn is attempting to change you and your attitude toward friendship and society both. While he’s doing so, you can feel a little awkward where you used to feel comfortable. Also, Uranus is going direct in your own sign this month, as of the 5th. Uranus is too itchy and restless to be truly comfortable anywhere, and you may get zinging sensations of discontent when he goes direct.

There’s also action along your career and home axis this month. December is traditionally career month for Pisces; this year is no exception. What is exceptional is that this year there’s also a lunar eclipse in Gemini, your home sector, on December 21. If this is a mild eclipse, you may notice nothing more than that your family members bought all their clothes for you in the wrong size. No problem! You can return them after Christmas (when Jupiter conjoins Uranus in your sign) and get even better ones!

If it’s a more energetic eclipse, you could get sudden news or a surprise regarding a family member. The nature of the surprise is unpredictable. Bottom line: it’s a fun but restless month.

Mercury is going retrograde soon (on the 10th of December) and in honor, I did an interview with Erin Sullivan. Erin literally wrote the book on retrogrades (Retrograde Planets: Traversing the Inner Landscape). She has a ton to say about retrogrades in all their manifestations: in the birth chart and in transit. You can hear the interview here. You can also access that podcast and all the other ones via iTunes now. We’ve also done some recent interesting shows on topics like Feldenkrais and bodywork, Tarot, the Law of Attraction and more. You can see the archive of shows here.

You can also learn more about Erin Sullivan at her website. She’s an astrologer with tremendous experience and credentials, and she does individual consultations as well as being an author. Feel free to contact her through her website if you would like a consultation.

Upcoming we have podcasts with Zane Stein (aka Mr. Chiron) and Jeff Harmon on horary astrology.

I also want to thank local magazine LA Confidential for mentioning me in their ‘not to be missed’ category. Here’s the link to their story.

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!