Astrological Forecasts

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

by Kathy Watts

December 2018

all times are PST.

In a year of wild rides, the first half of December keeps up the pace. If things don’t mellow out after that, there are strong soothing vibes in the second half to better position us to enter the new year in much better shape, and in a better mood, than we expect.

Sat Dec 01 the Moon is in Virgo when Mercury retrograde changes signs, leaves Sagittarius and backs into Scorpio. At 6:49 am the Moon enters Libra. The month starts on the day of the week for Saturn, and thoughts may have a more serious cast. However, it’s still the weekend and there can be some pleasant encounters.

Sun Dec 02 the Moon is in Libra all day long. At 9:02 am Venus changes signs, leaves Libra and enters Scorpio. Aesthetic tastes may switch away from pinks and pastels and go more for the blacks and reds. At 4:34 pm the Sun squares Mars. Heads Up. Don’t break anything unnecessarily. This includes radical rewrites or edits done in a fit of passion.

Mon Dec 03 the Moon enters Scorpio at 11:55 am and conjoins Venus at 1:05 pm. Stay serious about the things you love.

Wed Dec 05 the Moon is in Scorpio when the Sun squares Neptune at 2:22 pm. Daydreaming isn’t going to save you now. The Moon enters Sagittarius at 6:49 pm, so the evening might be easier. It’s the last day of the last Mercury retrograde of the year. Heads Up. Plus, it’s the day before the New Moon. Heads Up. Take extra care. Keep it simple but keep it.

Thu Dec 06 the Moon is in Sagittarius all day. The Moon conjoins Jupiter at 6:31 am. Start the day with a nice big to-do list, and go for it. Even if you finish none of it, your head is in the right place. At 1:22 pm Mercury pauses and goes stationary direct. Heads Up. Still have your keys and phone? That’s a good sign. Things won’t pick up speed right away, and there may still be some blunders and misunderstandings. They will become fewer, less frequent, and easier to remedy. Return those phone calls when it makes sense to you. At 8:11 pm the Moon squares Mars. You can write spontaneously but keep actions and speech under closer surveillance. At 8:42 pm the Moon squares Neptune. Fond dreams may look tarnished but don’t beat yourself up over any of them. We have the New Moon at 15 Sag at 11:20 pm. Today is Rohatsu, when Buddha saw the morning star and touched the earth. Feel centered and a bit enlightened.

Fri Dec 07 the Moon is in Sagittarius all day. At 6:11 am Mars conjoins Neptune. Heads Up. This is about as magical as it gets. Tackle that project that normally seems intimidating and beyond you. Make it good.

Sat Dec 08 the Moon conjoins Saturn at 9:09 pm. Slow steady progress, no matter how little, will be real and will last.

Wed Dec 12 the Moon is in Aquarius all day. At 3:43 pm Mercury changes signs, leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius. Thoughts may turn to party time. This can be good for work if you don’t indulge in too many actual parties. Write that ballroom scene.

Fri Dec 14 the Moon is in Pisces all day. At 8:35 am the Moon conjoins Neptune. Some mornings are foggier than others. Don’t fret. At 6:19 pm the Moon conjoins Mars. Even if all the fog hasn’t lifted, it may be hard to sit still and do anything. How’s the word count going?

Mon Dec 17 the Moon is in Aries all day. At 11:21 pm the Moon conjoins Uranus and goes void of course. The whole day may feel disorganized but you can use some of that confusion to your advantage.

Wed Dec 19 the Moon is in Taurus all day. Be good to yourself, do what comes naturally, and work on something that you want to make more attractive.

Thu Dec 20 the Moon enters Gemini at 6:34 am. Heads Up for a more mercurial, curious, and constructive time from now until Saturday morning. At 8:22 am the Sun trines Uranus. A little unpredictability could turn things around for you. Keep an open mind, write wildly, and edit later. It’s also the last day that the Sun spends in Sagittarius. The world may seem more serious, more substantial, and hopefully more satisfying. Heads Up.

Fri Dec 21 the Moon is in Gemini all day. At 9:11 am Venus trines Neptune. Love is easier now, so perhaps objectivity is harder. You don’t need to show those new poems to anyone just yet. At 9:37 am Venus conjoins Jupiter. Everything may look and feel rosier and brighter. Accept and enjoy it. The Sun leaves Sagittarius and enters Capricorn at 2:23 pm. Heads Up. For a glimpse of the next three months, look at an ingress chart. It’s the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere, with the shortest day and longest night. It’s all good news for stargazers and night owls.

Sat Dec 22 the Moon in Gemini sextiles Uranus at 6:21 am and then goes void of course. If you oversleep a bit, no big deal. It is the weekend. At 8:28 am the Moon leaves Gemini and enters Cancer. Did you get a lot done? At least treat yourself to a nice breakfast. At 9:39 am we have the Full Moon at 00 Can. Heads Up. You could finish a big project this lunar month. Stick to your agenda.

Mon Dec 24 the Moon is in Leo when Mercury squares Neptune. Value a slightly more childlike perspective but don’t get silly. It’s Christmas Eve.

Tue Dec 25 the Moon is in Leo all day long. Every minute can be golden today. Give and receive with a big heart. It’s Christmas.

Wed Dec 25 the Moon enters Virgo at 9:50 am. It’s the start of Kwanzaa. It’s also Boxing Day, and St. Stephen’s Day. Feel virtuous about every little thing you accomplish today. That includes tidying up your workspace.

Mon Dec 31 the Moon is in Scorpio all day. The year goes out in a serious mood. At 6:20 pm Mars changes signs, leaves Pisces and enters its home sign Aries. Heads Up. Mars is much happier now and that serious mood has some serious juice behind it. Get your head and heart organized and blast out into a glorious new year tomorrow.

It may have been feeling like chaos for a while now, but take a deep breath and get settled into a new, deeper, better focused mindset. Mercury retrograde madness has run its course and we’re probably ready for a slower, calmer state of affairs. The bulk of the holiday demands have been met. What remains can be better enjoyed under less pressure.

That was the year that was. We did what we did, accomplished what we accomplished, and have probably surprised ourselves. How often do we follow plans exactly, and have things turn out as first intended? Maybe you, but not me. I do what I can to meet deadlines, but beyond that, what’s wrong with letting the universe inject a touch of unforeseen inspiration?

We start the new year with batteries fully charged and with more talent and experience than we had when the old year began.

Heads Up!