Venus was square to Uranus this morning, and if your social plans were disrupted last night, this would be the reason.  Perhaps you are in a different location than you’d planned.  Perhaps snow or strikes took matters out of your hands.  So your mind may be holding two realities: the one you had planned, and the actual one you find yourself in.  As we look forward to tomorrow’s much-hailed conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune, we may be confused about how much we have achieved.  We are certainly in confusion about how much has been achieved by the Copenhagen Conference on climate change, which began at the beginning of the third phase of the triple-conjunction of Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron (the planets argued as to who would have top billing and Jupiter won).  We are told that an essential beginning step has been made, and after all it isn’t easy for a whole world to agree on something.  We hear all sorts of scientific arguments about climate change, which baffle those of us who aren’t scientifically savvy.  And we hear that there won’t be another conference for another year.  It does all have an air of confusion, which is an element of the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction.  Let’s hope for clearer information in 2010.  At lunchtime today (UK time) Mars goes retrograde, which could mean more disruption, of a different kind.  If you have been rushing round like a headless chicken trying to complete your pre-Christmas chores you may come skidding to a halt, like a cartoon cat chasing a mouse who has suddenly given him the slip.  You may need to slow down, take the rest of the day off, and re-orientate yourself to your prey (which may be as diverse as the local supermarket Quorn section, or the location of your karmic mission).  It won’t do you any harm.  Enjoy the wintry view from the window.  Give some thought to your plans for the next few days.  Tomorrow (Monday 21st) is the crucial day (apart from Christmas Day itself).  Not only does Jupiter conjunct Neptune on that day but other planetary aspects contribute to making this a productive and important day.  Venus sextiles Jupiter and makes it an excellent time to invite the neighbours round for drinks and nibbles.  Venus sextile Jupiter provides the anticipation and enthusiasm we need to get through this pre-Christmas period.  It can also be the silly season – I bought a lovely pink Christmas hat from the Co-op last week which will go down a treat.  Inject a sense of fun and lightheartedness into your planning – you will be pleased that you did, when the physical and emotional work of Christmas begins.  Those little touches such as the silver party poppers might just make the grumpy old codger in the corner smile…But it’s all part of the journey, and the journey is the goal.  Venus also sextiles Neptune, bringing in the spiritual dimension, and particularly the devotional  element of whichever religion or religions you practise – be it the divine child of Christianity or the bhakti yoga of Hinduism or both if you are a Universalist.  It is kind and gracious of Venus to be the warm-up act for Jupiter and Neptune’s conjunction tomorrow, and adds a touch of human and personal warmth to the event.  This conjunction is the culmination of the triple conjunction activities from May this year, and is the ultimate union of religion (Jupiter) and spirituality (Neptune), a sublime combination which may touch the hearts of agnostics.  Although they may call it something else, humanity or nature.  But it will still mean something to everyone.  The Sun enters Capricorn (Winter Solstice) later tomorrow, so it is also a pagan celebration.  As far as seasonal greetings from the Universe goes, it is exceptional.  There is a strong element of compassion and charity about it, and you may find yourself opening your purse and handing out more than you intended to the Big Issue seller on the street.  It generates random acts of kindness and generosity, and if you are Scroogelike, you can skip to the redeemed and reformed character at the end of the story.  What you do tomorrow can speak volumes, so go the extra mile.  So there you have the spirit of the week, and Christmas Eve (Thursday 24th) begins the letter or practice.  The Sun conjuncts Pluto, and you are bound to be thoughtful on that day.  After all, there are absent friends and relatives to consider, and you know that there have had to be economies, and things are difficult for many people.  You may be contemplating Christmas very differently from even one year ago.  The arrangements you have made may not be ideal, but reflect only what has been possible.  Saturn in Libra squaring Pluto in Capricorn lately has resulted in some difficult choices, and for some losses.  The Sun conjunct Pluto brings a determination to make this a meaningful Christmas, one which brings out the joy of life without belittling the suffering.  Venus enters Capricorn on Christmas Day itself (Friday 25th), which softens and warms this seasonal sign, but at the same time leaves the extravert sign of Sagittarius to contemplate the loneliness of the human condition.  It can be a gregarious time, but the individuality can also make  it a solitary experience.  Each person needs to be acknowledged and honoured for who they are, and in the words of the Gestalt prayer:

“I do my thing and you do your thing…I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, And you are not in this world to live up to mine.  You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful.  If not, it can’t be helped.” ~ Fritz Perls

This is reinforced by the message of Sun squaring Saturn later on in the day, presents unwrapped and Quorn turkey slices demolished.  There may be a longing in the heart for things to be a different way, but acceptance of what is is the only option.  Boxing Day (Saturday 26th) brings a Mercury retrograde situation.  You can’t expect public transport on Boxing Day anyway, so unless you are travelling by car or on your bike, it’s a case of staying and facing the music.  I am hoping that Bob Dylan’s CD “Christmas in the Heart” is in my Christmas stocking: it has a nice mixture of  elements to contribute to a holistic experience – Christianity, Jewishness, Charity, Nostalgia, Humour and more…

Date: Dec 20th, 2009 · Comments RSS · Tags: Astrology