St. Nick, Hanukkah, New Moon, Two Marys & Mercury retrograde!
We have a week filled with multiple festivals, a saint’s day, a festival of light, two Mary’s days, a new moon and to top it all off, Mercury stationing retrograde! Wednesday, Dec. 6th is St. Nicholas’ feast day. Nicholas was generous and kind, protector to those in need. He loved children. St. Nicholas is the Advent saint. He is Santa Claus, bestower of spiritual gifts.
In the evening of Thursday, Dec. 7th, Hanukkah, Jewish Festival of Lights, begins (till the 15th). Friday, Dec. 8th is the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
Sunday, Dec. 10th is the 2nd Sunday of Advent. We light our 2nd candle. The 2nd week of Advent is dedicated to Peace. We light the Bethlehem candle (so appropriate at this time). The 2nd week of Advent is dedicated also to the animal and bird kingdoms.
Tuesday, Dec. 12th, is a new moon (21 degrees Sag), the celebration of our Lady of Guadalupe (Mary, the Mother of all the nations).
Late Tuesday night, Mercury stations retrograde at 8 degrees Capricorn (returning to 22 Sagittarius, January 1, 2024). Mercury will remain retrograde through the holiday and right up to the first day of the New Year. We will have a very interesting, if not magical and unusual, next three weeks!
Lest Sagittarius be lost in holiday preparations, festivals, Advent candles, feast days, traveling, food and preparations let’s consider this sign – hidden, silent, driven to travel, eating, capturing images and making music – in depth. Sagittarius has visions, aspirations, goals of service and saviorship (Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces). Sagittarius is tested (like Scorpio), learning the “right use of the arrows of thought”, restraint of speech, and harmlessness (ahimsa). Eventually these great tests result in liberation.
Esoterically Sag is one of the “signs of silence.” Let us note that Sag is the time and sign immediately preceding (and thus preparing for) the new light of winter solstice and birth of the Holy Child (Soul). Sagittarius seeks the “spirit of truth emerging from individual revelation.”
Sag is a mutable sign (as are Pisces and Gemini). Mutable signs make contact and connections, releasing Love. Sag seeks to unite humanity with ethics, a life philosophy and a concept of God. Sag streams through Jupiter before reaching earth. Jupiter is Ray 2, the distributor of Love/Wisdom. During Sag, Love/Wisdom prevails. In the tumult of the season, Sagittarius is the quiet and silent observer. The Temperance card in the Tarot.
ARIES: Will you be traveling, with Sun in your house of travel? Careful this week. Are you thinking of new professional ideas and realities? Do you feel inspired to step up your endeavors? Do you seek a religious or spiritual reality but don’t quite know what to choose? As you interact in the world of form, Saturn offers the needed discipline and structure to all dreams and aspirations. Tend to those from the past with love and compassion.
TAURUS: As your new self is coming forth, the person you have been is almost no more and a new person and new self-identity are emerging. In the meantime you continue to seek resources for the coming times, so everyone is safe and secure. Taurus always plans ahead. Someday those things hiding in closets and drawers, storage units and garages must be dealt with, brought out into the fresh air, their value assessed. This will occur in right timing on the right day in the right year.
GEMINI: On your mind are relationships, one in particular. You ask if your resources are being used practically, and whether it’s time to travel. Your relationship is OK if you communicate more. Your money needs a practical reference point – a local credit union, investments in land and precious metals. Money and relationships work together. Both are basic archetypes, seeking harmony. It’s good to pray a bit more, ask for what is needed, and make a few important phone calls.
CANCER: In your daily home life, you find new goals, meet those goals and discover others. These goals influence how you will be living in the future. Share your goals with others, communicating the practicality of planning for the future. As you’re very concerned about resources link money with your goals. But more importantly, tithe to those in need. Then your resources will be useful, practical and transformed. And returned to you 10-fold. You know of life and love and the needs of others.
LEO: Your energy’s high as you gallop toward far-reaching goals. Creativity is the impelling force within and nothing can stop you. However you’ll be restrained if any disharmony occurs with others. Choose revolution as an art form. Take camera, art supplies, a horse (if you can) and several dog companions along. There’s something you’ve wished to do, be and see for a long time. It’s time to return to the place where your heart resides. Is there a person involved too?
VIRGO: Have you ideas, thoughts, plans and goals for your home environment? Are you feeling restrained by a lack of communication with someone close or a loved one? Do you feel unheard and unseen? Do thoughts rest in your heart, unspoken and in longing? It’s good to concentrate on the season’s festivities by making your home cheerful and welcoming, filled with lights, colors, beauty and nature. Create an advent calendar. Let joy, which is a choice, impel you onward.
LIBRA: Are you thinking once more of travel? Perhaps to places nearby, amidst neighborhoods and little downtowns filled with festival lights. Are you seeking the truth of the beliefs you’ve held since childhood? A deep transformative change penetrates your heart/mind and many beliefs begin to have no validity. Disconcerting at first, you’re actually being led to truths you were previously incapable of understanding. As beliefs break down, a greater capacity to (give/receive) love comes forth. You will then “be of love a little more careful.”
SCORPIO: It’s time to ponder upon and then attempt to articulate thoughts, ideas and goals concerning money and resources in order to make your future safe and practical. You don’t want to be fearful or wounded by not preparing adequately. Your mind needs to concentrate on building appropriate resources for the times to come. These resources are not only for you. Others will join you for you are a leader and have the stamina to face change and great challenges.
SAGITTARIUS: It is good to read over and over, integrate and then identify with all the words about Sag in the introduction. Allow its esoteric significances to be absorbed and a new identity to emerge concerning who you are spiritually. As you seek truth, attempt to hear the symphony of the zodiac, do you also seek justice and joy? It’s most important to acknowledge you are always seeking goal after goal. Goals change. What are your goals now? Seek swans, altars, harps, eagles, serpents and the sound of silence.
CAPRICORN: You stand in both inner and outer realities. Your inner life is filled with ideas and goals while your outer world is filled with serving others. There’s much responsibility and work accomplished from morning ‘til night. At day’s end you hope sleep brings physical, emotional and mental balance. Are you creating rituals in your home that reflect the sacredness of the season? Rhythms of prayer with family? When you connect with the heavens your life is transformed. This is an invitation.
AQUARIUS: Our outer reality is connected to our inner reality. What occurs in our outer life is based on what we believe, envision, have intentions for and where we place our focus. You are aware that humanity, which you represent, is to bring forth the new civilization, the new world order through the Aquarian Laws and Principles and visions under which the new culture will emerge. Wherever you are, the future also is. Your friendship with the world itself, brings the light of Aquarius forth for everyone.
PISCES: Each day, through dreams both day dreams and while asleep, new understandings are occurring along with new revelations. Sometimes they occur through suffering. Pisces must take in the sufferings of the world, in order to understand and transform them. Then revelations occur. On our earth these emerge from grief and feelings of despair. You understand this line of poetry from Dante’s Divine Comedy “In the middle of the journey of my life, I came to a dark wood and found myself and my way lost.” That journey is coming to a fork in the road. Two paths are seen.
