Astro Notes for New Moon in Sagittarius cycle (December 1-31, 2024)
This is the first monthly cycle in which we have officially entered the Pluto in Aquarius era, with Pluto now solidly entrenched in Aquarius where it will stay for the next twenty years. Take that in. With Pluto’s move into Aquarius, we have arrived at an historic seven month threshold during which the cultural zeitgeist is poised to transform more rapidly and comprehensively than at any other time in our lifetimes. As I’ve mentioned in this space many times previously, this passage is marked astrologically by the movement of every one of the five outermost planets into a new sign.
But while we are now surfing the rapids of historic change, this month’s cycle offers something of a respite from the drama and intensity of recent months.
Arguably the most striking astrological feature of the cycle is Mars, the planet of action, turning retrograde on December 6. Mars only goes retrograde once every two and a bit years, so when it happens it tends to stand out. Mars will be retrograde from December 6, 2024 through February 23, 2025.
When Mars is moving retrograde, the universe asks us to be more reflective about how we assert ourselves and act in the world. It is prudent at this time to really think before we act. If we act impulsively, we could make a serious mistake that we will later regret.
It might seem during this period that we have lost momentum or are moving through molasses. If we keep trying to push forward, we’ll likely meet more resistance than usual. We may also be forced by events to acknowledge issues related to our anger, aggression, or sexuality, requiring us to contemplate and process these issues inwardly. Accordingly, the volume will tend to be turned down somewhat on the pace and intensity of outer events, giving us an opportunity to re-group, re-calibrate, and re-evaluate our current plans and strategies.
The other major transit of this month’s cycle is Jupiter in Gemini forming an exact square with Saturn in Pisces on December 24. This is the second of three exact squares between Jupiter and Saturn (the first was in mid-August 2024 and the third and final one will be in mid-June 2025). When Jupiter’s expansive outlook comes into a tense aspect with Saturn’s sense of order, we may feel that something needs to shift in the foundational structure of our lives. This is not mere tinkering with the details; we may want to make a big move that affects everything, like changing jobs or where we live. This drive to make a major structural change can arise in part because we are confronted with a limitation (Saturn) that blocks the realization of our ideals (Jupiter), forcing us to go back to the drawing board to re-think our fundamental approach.
Again, the focus is in the direction of thinking, reflecting, and planning rather than acting.
The Jupiter-Saturn square takes place in the mutable signs of Gemini and Pisces. The new moon on December 1 and the full moon on December 15 are also in mutable signs (Sagittarius and Gemini respectively). So there’s a lot of mutable energy this month. Mutable signs occur as one season gives way to another — there’s ‘a change in the air’. The underlying gestalt is about adjusting to changing circumstances, being adaptable, and making preparations for the approaching cycle. This dynamic is accentuated at the moment with the subliminal awareness that everything is about to change, calling for an even deeper inward preparation.
With the new and full moons occurring on the Sagittarius-Gemini axis of information, but at a time when outer action is relatively muted, there might be a lot of talk and ‘hot air’ without much real-world consequence.
The most concentrated astrological action takes place from around December 5-8. In that window, Mars moves retrograde, Neptune turns direct, Venus forms an exact conjunction with Pluto, and there is a t-square between the Sun, Saturn, and Jupiter. This may be a confusing time, fraught with frustrating highs and lows, intense and conflicting emotions, indulgences and limitations. We may not know up from down for a while — a good time to breathe and remember ‘this too shall pass.’
Going with the flow this month means accepting limitations, breathing through frustration, and adopting a more reflective mood. I hope you are able to find time to hit the pause button on your inner pusher and enjoy the respite. It won't be long before we'll be back in our life-rafts, steadying ourselves for perhaps the most exhilarating ride of our lifetime.