This lunar cycle includes planetary movement of potentially strong impact—for individuals, especially if your birthchart personal planets or angles are closely aspected. It is also likely that momentous national and international news will also be seen as reflecting the planetary configurations of this time. Jupiter-Pluto at the Galactic Center is getting a lot of press in astrological publications, as has Pluto, alone, conjunction Galactic Center for the past year. The celestial longitude of the Galactic Center (according to The New American Ephemeris) is currently 26 Sagittarius 57. Our "Dark Lord," Pluto, the planet most associated with transformative power, reached full conjunction with Galactic Center for the first time last December, then moved beyond it to 28 Sag 43, retrograded, passed it again in late October. The big news now is that the "great benefic" Jupiter also reached 26 Sag 57 December 5. Jupiter will conjunct Pluto December 11, and both will soon move onward to enter Capricorn, one of the Cardinal signs. The zero degrees of the cardinal signs are the "world axis" and planetary aspects to any one of these degrees often reflect major events that matter to the world, in general.

New Moon, 17 Sagittarius 16, Dec. 9, 12:40 pm EST
New Moon may begin in Sagittarius, but early in the phase she'll pass Jupiter and then Pluto in very late Sagittarius, and then enter Capricorn at 1:51 pm on Dec. 10. There are other planetary aspects: Mercury square Neptune on the 10th, Jupiter conjunct Pluto and Venus trine Mars on the 11th, just before Moon is void of course with her sextile to Uranus. During this lunar phase of new beginnings, Use the Mercury-Neptune aspect for creative and intuitive focus, and then work magic, as Jupiter conjuncts Pluto, to set your goal in motion toward the success you want to achieve.

Ritual for New Moon in Sagittarius
Sagittarius is represented in the zodiac by a centaur with bow and arrow. What do you want to expand in your life? And what might you need to change in the process? This New Moon is a great time to send the Archer's arrow flying toward your goal.

Assemble your journal, writing materials, scissors and red paper, matches or fire wand, and a cauldron or metal bowl that is safe for burning. Create sacred space and then within it, call the spirit of the Celtic fire Goddess Brighid, asking her assistance. Meditate until you can clearly visualize your goal and yourself having achieved it. Then write your goal into the Journal, including steps you will take toward achieving it.

Brighid's name means "fiery arrow." With the red paper, create a large arrow and write keywords for your goal on it, with focused intent. As you continue to focus clearly on your goal, you could dance in moving meditation. When you are ready, then send your arrow into Spirit by burning it within your cauldron as you chant:

Fire, fire, my desire
As arrow soars, success I see
By will, intent and magic power
I'll reach my goal, so mote it be!

Crescent Moon, 6 Aquarius 18, Dec. 13 at 12:01 pm EST
This phase may find you and others in a mellow, dreamy mood with Mercury sextile Neptune today, then Moon conjunct Neptune tomorrow. Lunar aspects continue with easy flow, ending with a sextile to Jupiter early Saturday morning. It's not a high energy time, but the flow can be just the thing for artistic activities or social events. A Friday evening gathering, perhaps?

First Quarter Moon, 25 Pisces 05, Dec. 17 at 5:17 am EST
Jupiter enters Capricorn on December 18, and Pluto on January 25 (EST). Jupiter's "benefic" qualities include expansion, optimism and success, but it's worth keeping in mind that the potential downside can be overindulgence and excesses—an all too common impulse during this overly commercialized holiday season. Combined with Pluto, whatever Jupiter means to you (or the world) is expanded greatly. Jupiter will be in Capricorn all year, so if you know which house of your birthchart is mostly Capricorn, that is a good indicator of the area of life in which you'll experience expansion. Sun sign column blurbs are often based on the idea of Sun rising (1st House), with successive signs on each successive house. So, one hint of where Jupiter-Pluto themes may apply to you this year would be to count how many houses/signs Sagittarius is from your Sun sign. For example, if you are a Scorpio, Sag would be House 2, if you're a Libra, Sag is House 3 and so on. If you know your actual Rising Sign, you can count from there. Simplisticly, Jupiter-Pluto in House 1 emphasizes you and how you present yourself, House 2 is about what you have, your possessions. House 3 is how you interact within your neighborhood. House 4 includes home and parents. House 5 is your creative activity & what you enjoy. House 6 is your daily work and health, and House 7 is about your partner, spouse (or competitor). House 8 indicates what you share with another. House 9 is about your beliefs and ideals. House 10 shows your career & what you are known for. House 11 indicates your friends, organizations, hopes & wishes, and House 12 is about your inner private self.

First Quarter is the time for action—decisive action toward your goal. So whatever intent you set into motion at New Moon, this is the time to DO something about it!

Gibbous Moon, 13 Taurus 33, Dec. 20 at 2:45 pm EST
Mercury conjuncts Jupiter today, AND Sun conjuncts Pluto. An idea that moves toward a change of plans? Could be...although Moon moving through stable Taurus is more inclined to take things slowly. Moon's passage into Gemini early Friday evening sets an upbeat, social tone for Winter Solstice—good for sharing the event with friends.

Winter Solstice—Yule, Sun at 0°Capricorn, Dec. 22 at 1:08 am EST

Winter Solstice Sun shines on my snow-covered circle.

Major planetary ingresses into 0 degrees of the cardinal signs (Capricorn, Aries, Cancer, Libra) have often coincided with significant events for the world in general. The passage of Sun into 0 Capricorn, the Winter Solstice, is a chart studied each year by many mundane astrologers. It's the longest night of the year, when from our earthly viewpoint, the Sun's waning cycle comes to an end, and with the rebirth of the Sun, rising on Solstice morning, the waxing light begins anew. January 1 is a politically chosen "New Year." The true beginning of the solar year is now—Yule, the Winter Solstice, the rebirth of Sun. With that, it's easy to see why this chart is worth considering for ideas about what the year to come will bring. It's also well worth celebrating the Winter Solstice in spiritual ritual to set the tone for your year ahead, and suggestions for that are included with my linked articles, along with more lore of this seasonal Sabbat.

Lore of Winter Solstice:
http://www.starcraftsob.com/craft/yulelore.shtml

Group and personal ritual ideas:
http://www.starcraftsob.com/craft/yuleritual.shtml

Full Moon, 1 Cancer 50, Dec. 23 at 8:16 pm EST
Winter Solstice coincides quite closely with Full Moon this year, so the combining of Yule and Full Moon rites is likely. Cancer, sign of home and Mom, couldn't be more appropriate for family gatherings of the season. Aspects are somewhat mixed among indicators of a lively good time, or of tension. The latter could also reflect a tense situation in larger world events.

Ritual for the Full Moon in Cancer
In Exeter, on Christmas Eve, votive candles (tea lights, placed on sand within white paper bags) line all the streets downtown and for blocks in each direction—a beautiful sight to see, and in its way, a ritual evoking peace, hope and promise for renewal. A year ago, my husband and daughter, Liz, on the same evening that we viewed the town lights, went out into our backyard stone circle and set votives all around the perimeter, using tea lights within small waxed paper cups. It felt very good to do that. The placing of candles is a meditation, an invocation, a prayer of hope and peace and promise for the new year dawning. Do it with family and friends, or alone. Find some special way in this season to contribute to the happiness of to others And then, when you see the bright Full Moon overhead, reach up and draw her down, feeling the lunar energy flow through you, head to toes. Reach down to gather Earth energy and blend it with your own, as you move it slowly up through your body, toes to head, and then send some back to surround and share with the Moon. May hope and peace be with you!

Disseminating Moon, 20 Leo 18, Dec. 27 at 6:13 am EST
Holiday aftermath, when one might wish to wind down, rather that "disseminate" with additional active sharing, but aspects are not without tension. Larger, outer events may be a factor.

Last Quarter Moon, 9 Libra 14, December 31 at 2:51 am EST
Mars retrogrades back over the 0° Cancer (that world axis again) and passes into Gemini, where he'll soon oppose Pluto at that Galactic Center (January 2). While I'm somewhat dubious as to how much the Galactic Center really matters that much about our small planet Earth, only a spec in a very large galaxy, many astrologers consider it important. Still the Mars aspects, alone, evoke thoughts of whether larger world events may relate to the "crisis of consciousness" by which the theme of Last Quarter phase is known.

Balsamic Moon, 28 Scorpio 27, Jan. 4, 2008, at 6:07 am EST
Moon conjuncts Venus 10:20 pm, but is tense on January 5 with squares to Saturn and Uranus. Then Venus square Saturn, in the midst of mixed Moon aspects on January 6, sets a serious tone for the beginning of this first full week of 2008. Monday, January 7, is the last day of Balsamic phase. Use it to put away the last of the holiday trappings for another year, and clear space and mind for the New Moon in serious, practical Capricorn. The Scorpio balsamic theme, especially, emphasizes letting go and eliminating things you no longer need. So, clean house. Give away serviceable things you no longer need to a charity. If you are holding onto bad feelings toward anyone, forgive them and let them go. Gather any bits of past ritual workings—tokens, amulets, candle stubs—for which the magic is done or purpose forgotten and return them to Spirit in fire, or by burial in the Earth (if it's not frozen where you live!) When you do any of these processes of letting go as a spiritual act, inner serenity increases.

Crone Goddess of the Waning Moon
Accept what I release to thee.
With firm resolve, I let it go
For good of all, so mote it be!