The Astrology Blog – w/b 23 December 2013
Yes, here we are again, Christmas is upon us. I don’t know why it takes me by surprise every year, but it always does!
The astrological picture for this week has two major themes, one of which suggests that there are other surprises in store too, but let’s start with the easier alignment between Mercury, the Sun and Neptune. Here’s the sequence:
· Mercury enters Capricorn tomorrow morning
· Sun in Capricorn sextile (harmonious) Neptune on Christmas Eve (17.07 GMT)
· Mercury sextile Neptune on Boxing Day (09.05 GMT)
· Sun conjunct Mercury Sunday 29th (06.29 GMT)
This feels rather like a long, slow waltz rather than a knees-up. The Sun (life force), Mercury (chat, connection) and Neptune in his own sign of Pisces (soft focus) is lovely for partying of the very sociable and congenial kind. Neptune rules alcohol, and is often associated with going over the top in that “no boundaries” kind of way, so take it easy on the booze if you don’t want to start Christmas Day with a horrible hangover! At least with the Sun and Mercury in earthy Capricorn, and the harmonious sextile aspects, occasions/guests should have a sensible factor at work in the nicest possible way. However, Neptune is also hugely linked to sensitivity (ask a Pisces) and for many this is a difficult time of year. Loss or loneliness are accentuated so look out for the person who’s “all at sea” or drowning their sorrows.
Good aspects to Neptune are also textbook for romancing, that “urge to merge”, so you should be safely cocooned if you’re falling in love or in the right place at the right time if you’re standing under the mistletoe at that Christmas Eve party. If you’re not partying then this picture resonates equally with wind down time at home and getting plenty of sleep in readiness for the big day, especially if you know you’re going to be woken at the crack of dawn by children – or, in my case, by the church bells going off at 7am prior to a long service reverberating around the village through the loudspeakers! Here in Greece Christmas Day is not only a big event in the religious calendar but also the name day for Xristos.
Back to the astrology, note the five day gap between the Sun and Mercury sextiles to Neptune, and then the Sun conjunct Mercury. Something may be processed in that time, including feelings, or you may have to wait to get back to an important subject/use information that arose on Christmas Eve. Sunday’s Sun – Mercury conjunction is powerful at its time of exactitude as Mercury will then be “cazimi” – which means that he sits in the heart of the Sun. Look out for significant or poignant news that will draw people together.
However, Uranus will also be in on the act later in the day, part of the second theme of the week which is much trickier and potentially disruptive. Here’s the sequence:
· Mars opposite Uranus on Christmas Day at 08.34 GMT
· Mercury square Uranus on Sunday 29th at 20.49 GMT
· Sun square Uranus in the early hours of Monday 30th, 05.06 GMT
I’ve thought long and hard about this line up, especially in the light of an astrologer’s job which is to inform and offer interpretations. No matter what spin I put on Uranus’ antics I am probably going to sound alarmist as there is o getting away from the fact that Mars is the planet of war and Uranus is the unpredictable, the loose cannon of the heavens, and nearly always turns out to be something that you couldn’t possibly have seen coming. So as much as I want to say avoid arguments, keep the peace etc, a prickly subject within a family is blue touch paper and even if you’re determined not to light it there’s no guarantee that everyone else can be trusted not to either! The Mars – Uranus combination is a short fuse.
So it’s not all festive good cheer, especially late on Christmas Eve and early Christmas morning as the Mars – Uranus opposition is “applying” (yet to become exact). Alternatively, look out for disruptions to your carefully planned agenda – guests cancelling, unexpected guests being added at the last moment, cars breaking down or discovering that you’ve forgotten to send a vital card – I could speculate forever! Top advice – take everything in your stride, keep your sense of humour and don’t try and force anyone into doing anything that they don’t want to do. In fact, it’s probably a case of the less Uranian and the more Neptunian the better – go with the flow rather than swimming against the tide.
Nowhere will that be better embodied than here as the ex-pats line up for the Christmas swim. Yes we all gather on the quayside and watch everyone in fancy dress dive into the sea at 12.30. I will be a spectator, not a diver! The local Greeks think we’re all completely barmy, and they’d be right.
I had the perfect Neptune Xmas card to include here but I can’t find a way of copying it in. But it’s woman glugging straight out of the wine bottle while man pores over recipe book saying, “Am not sure that’s what they mean by reduce the wine…”
So Merry Christmas everyone – stay safe and have fun! xx