Astrological Forecast for November & December 2018

A change in direction is indicated as we move into the last months of 2018. A year that has been characterized by stops and starts once again has us revisiting the past. It’s a time for review and reconsideration, but as is typical, the Cosmos won’t be slowing down all that much – we’ll have to do our processing on the fly. We have our share of planets changing sign and direction at the end of the year, indicating that we’ll be revisiting the past even as we move towards the future

Chiron is back in Pisces, where the Wounded Healer can help us to cleanse old hurts and work towards wholeness. Yet as he lingers at the end of the sign of the fish, we’re also likely to be feeling somewhat blue and perhaps overly sentimental. It’s not the dominant theme of the time, but a subtle second melody playing just below our awareness that erupts into consciousness when tense aspects are formed.

November

We begin with Venus still retrograde. The Goddess of Love moved back into Libra on Halloween, October 31st, and we may expect the time between the beginning of the month and her station to go direct on the 16th to be the more overt and obvious phase of the retrograde. If you’re going to connect with old loves or rekindle a romance, it’s likelier now than last month.

In addition to Venus, Juno – the asteroid most closely associated with marriage and partnership – is also retrograde until December 23rd. We may see a spark or two fly when Jupiter opposes Juno on the 2nd of November, while Chiron lends a healing hand at the same time. This could be an opportunity to repair a relationship on the rocks, or to find closure for a past romance.

On the 6th, Uranus retrogrades back into Aries, where he’ll remain until next March. While this might energize us to assert ourselves as individuals, it’s mostly going to play out on the collective level. Uranus in Aries brought the return of political strongmen all over the world, and we’ll be learning the results of this through the next five months and beyond. It’s a time of Supercharged Patriarchy, although one that is likely to burn out the patriarchal energy.

Watch the news around the 5th through the 8th to see how things are playing out in the collective. The 7th is the day of the new moon in Scorpio, and it’s one of the important lunar events of November and December, as it’s right at the middle of Scorpio (15 degrees of fixed signs are considered especially powerful). Combined with Uranus’ move back to Aries on the 6th and Jupiter’s leap into Sagittarius on the 8th, it’s likely to be a very charged time – hardly a quiet new moon.

Jupiter in Sagittarius will help to make us more overtly optimistic and to have faith in the future. Yet the shadow side of this placement is political and social polarization. It’s a great energy for seeking the truth, but it can be quite difficult and entrenched when we think we’ve found it. True believers and evangelists of all kinds can get up on the soapbox.

Venus and Mercury play tag on November 16th. Venus ends her forty-day retrograde, but Mercury starts his three weeks in reverse. Around this time, it’s best to be careful with just about everything: communication, technology, transportation, major purchases (especially computers, cars, and luxury items), contracts, business agreements, artistic projects, and social engagements all come with caveats in mid-November.

The full moon on the 23rd is at the very beginning of Gemini. This is typically a fun, sociable full moon, and with Neptune stationing to go direct the next day, it could really be a party.

Do make it a party weekend (it’s the weekend after Thanksgiving), but don’t take things too seriously. Neptune stations can make things foggy – great for romance and adventure, but less than ideal for practical matters (especially with Mercury retrograde).

The Sun meets Jupiter in Sagittarius on the 26th, keeping the energy high all weekend and into the following week. Once again: a reminder that optimism and faith can blind us to other aspects of reality and make it hard to see other peoples’ perspectives. With Mercury also tangling with Mars and Jupiter on the 26th and 27th, we may get wires crossed, and the result could be some cross words. Try to limit texts and other messages that could be misunderstood or misinterpreted, and use the phone or, better yet, talk in person.

As the month ends, Venus opposes Uranus, on the 30th. At the very last degrees of Libra and Aries, this could ignite any tensions that have been simmering in relationships. The need for personal freedom and independence is strong, but so is the need for love and connection. This aspects suggests that we “hold on loosely, but don’t let go”, giving our partners and ourselves the space to be who we are, while also recognizing the importance of others in our lives. Consider what really matters to you, and don’t be overly concerned with the form of relationship or how it appears. For those who are single as well as folks in a partnership, it could be time to break away from routines and try new possibilities.

December

Venus and Mercury continue their dance, entering Scorpio together as the month begins, but from opposite ends of the sign. While both Venus and Mercury are in the dark waters of the scorpion, we can expect that we’ll be looking for depth in our communication and relationships. This highly feeling-oriented, inward, and potentially reactive vibe stands in counterpoint to the more upbeat, outgoing, and optimistic Sagittarian theme that is also playing.

Mercury retrogrades into Scorpio from Sagittarius on the 1st. While it may be hard to articulate our feelings right now, we are likely to see a more emotional coloring in our communication. Things get more overt and open after the Cosmic Messenger goes direct on the 6th, and even more so when he re-enters Sagittarius on the 12th.

Venus moves forward from Libra on the 2nd, re-entering Scorpio after her retrograde. Until the 17th, she’ll still be in the retrograde ‘shadow’ and we’ll be working on moving forward with issues that emerged since early October. The quest for deep connection in our partnerships may stand in contrast to the more freedom-oriented vibe that prevailed just a few days ago.

The period from the 5th through the 9th is deeply internal and reflective. It’s far more of a time for personal work than social or business interactions, especially as we may project inner states onto others. The Sun squares Neptune, Mercury and Chiron station to go direct, and we have the new moon within this time frame. It’s a time for processing our feelings and deciding where we want to go, but it isn’t a great time to act. Think of it as an incubation period, a time when you’re nurturing a vision of the future and letting go of the past. Be a little kind to yourself – neither of those things are necessarily easy.

More constructive and practical cosmic weather prevails from around the 12th through the 20th. There are a few bumps in the road, of course, but as we’re energized by the first quarter moon on the 15th we begin to be able to turn vision into reality and manifest our ideas.

On December 21st at 5:22 p.m. EST, the Sun reaches his south-most point in his annual journey, and begins his long climb northward towards summer. Yet this year, just when the sunlight is darkest, the light of the Moon will brightest.

The full moon on December 22nd is within a day of the solstice, and this full moon is at Luna’s maximum northward elevation – almost directly overhead and illuminating the night. There’s a poignant message in this yin/yang placement: the light within the darkness is a reflection of the Sun’s own light.

This full moon is on the world axis, and so is very likely to bring significant news from the collective. In fact, it may be New Year’s Eve before we see the full extent of what’s happening, as Mars enters Aries and squares the full moon degree.

Relationships take center stage for the rest of the month, as Venus and Juno make aspects to Pluto and to each other. It’s a great opportunity to build our personal connections, or to initiate new romances.

Wishing you all a healthy and joyous 2019!

Armand M. Diaz, Ph.D. uses an intuitive and heart-centered approach to astrology to help his clients. Armand has practiced divination for more than thirty years, working with the I Ching and Tarot in addition to astrology. He has published in various astrological journals, including The Mountain Astrologer. Armand’s most recent book, Separating Aspects: The Astrology of Breakups, Divorce, and Other Partings, is available through Amazon and on Kindle. He can be reached through his website at www.ArmandDiaz.com.