One of the reasons I love astrology is that it can help give me a sense of timing—now slow down, now speed up; now follow through with that idea, now wait.
At the moment, I’m doing some reading on Jewish astrology with a friend of mine, chavi ha-eish for her Ph.D. thesis at Brown. We’re reading some work by the great Abraham Ibn Ezra, who wrote a seven-part, systematic presentation of astrology in 1147-48. In it, he distinguishes the astral determinism depicted in the natal horoscope, wherein we have a structured fate to submit to, from the free will that we can exercise when using astrology for divination (becoming wise) or for choosing a date to begin something (electional astrology). While I don’t know if the rigid determinism he might have witnessed nearly 900 years ago is still present in our current stage of the evolution of consciousness, I find it striking and inspiring that this more creative, ritualistic use of astrology was conceived of as a means of liberation from hardships that sometimes seem cosmic.
Mainstream culture, despite some crazy relationships to time, nevertheless has some attempts at a reverent, cyclical relationship to time. The “holiday season” is definitely one of these—we see a necessity to gather and celebrate, even if that impulse is coopted and gets hectic. The fact that this happens during Sagittarius season is fitting—and probably not a coincidence, but a remnant of an earlier wisdom. The holiday season would be totally different when the Sun was in Aries or Virgo.
The New Year’s Resolution is another one of these moments in mainstream culture where a cyclical appreciation of time shines through. Astrology knows that we can make resolutions for different things at many different times of the year—moments where we strive for self-determination and freedom—and in that light, it’s sad that all the pressure for renewal gets placed on January 1st.
This year, though, there’s some synchrony between the astrology and the typical schedule, especially for New Year’s Resolution. The big astrological phenomenon that indicates this is Jupiter’s station direct at the end of his retrograde on December 30th. Jupiter’s been retrograde since September 4th, and in the sign of Taurus, this relates to a process of reflection on our values, needs, and gifts in the material sphere. Jupiter wants to expand our experience of the sensual realm while he’s in Taurus, which started in May 2023 and will go till May 2024. Likewise, during this time we’ll be looking for wealth and abundance in material terms, but this is where we can also be excessive or greedy. This retrograde can bring us the wisdom of humility and a better sense of the scope and true value of things. It’s a necessary condensation in a process of expansion—otherwise, growth could get cancerous.
As Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius, this process is at play through the festivities of this holiday season. In this regard, it’s a great time to be savoring the qualities, tastes, and textures that we celebrate at this time of the year. Perhaps there’s something about abundance that transcends strictly financial understandings, or a condensed sensual wisdom to be fully grokked. All of this can lead to a more wise journey into the New Year and a search for expansion that comes from a clearer perspective. Until then, it’s likely best to hold off on any big pushes for growth.
Jupiter isn’t the only notable actor at play in this turning point, though—Mercury is also taking an important retrograde, starting on December 13th, in Capricorn. This is the last Mercury retrograde in an Earth sign till 2029, and this one will also start the shift of Mercury’s retrogrades into Fire signs, as they will end their retrograde in Sagittarius on January 1st. With Mercury starting their retrograde in Capricorn, it could be that our mentality gets somewhat cold and serious, considering the material basis of things and looking at things from a cautious and long-term perspective. I’d reckon that this could mute the fiery enthusiasm of Sagittarius/Holiday Season to a certain degree (Mercury is in Capricorn from Dec 1-23). The retrograde back into Sagittarius sort of redeems this coldness, though—again, it speaks of a story wherein a rigid focus on numbers or a pessimistic outlook gets trumped by enthusiasm or optimism. Regardless, it could be good to entertain Mercury’s cold and analytical curiosities during those first three weeks of December.
Beyond the beautiful timing of Mercury ending their retrograde on January 1st, we also see that Mars will be entering Capricorn on January 4th, which is the sign of his exaltation. We could imagine this as an athlete or warrior wearing a uniform—a position where they can be dignified, in their element, and in a sort of focused, ritual garb. It gives extra support to any ambition that might be present at the start of the New Year, especially if it could be backed up by a reasonable strategy or training plan. Venus, too, will be leaving Scorpio and entering Sagittarius on December 29th - giving us more of a taste for expansion and enthusiasm than the dark depths of Scorpio, which begins this week.
More on the coming year in the next couple of weeks! And more on the next couple of weeks for the paid subscribers below.
Until then, a gentle reminder that I’m available for readings and that I’ve got an option for gift certificates that make great presents <3
Warmth,
Charlie