Astrological Forecast for November & December 2019

Intensity describes the end of 2019 – and no doubt the beginning (middle, and end) of 2020. Once again, we’re in the midst of planetary activity that will affect us for a long time to come. While we’re still anticipating the meeting of Saturn and Pluto in January, there will be plenty to keep us busy in November and December.

Overall, this is a time to reaffirm your commitment to being yourself. There’s plenty of constructive energy in the Cosmos helping us, just as there are challenges. The strategy during these months is to keep moving with determination and diligence, while managing to keep your cool at the same time.

November

The month begins with anything but cool astrological weather, as Mars squares Pluto on the 5th. With Mars in Libra, action may be less overt, and we’ll see that folks go through proper channels to get what they want. However, if frustrated by a lack of progress, there could be some explosions. With Mercury retrograde as the month begins, some of that frustration may come from misunderstandings or technical snafus.

Through midmonth and beyond, relatively constructive energy prevails. The full moon in Taurus on the 12th is trine to Saturn and Pluto, an indication that we can use powerful resources for productive purposes. This is a time when we’re likely to see many issues in the collective – government and economics, especially – coming to a head.

Mars enters Scorpio on the 19th of the month. While in Libra, the Cosmic Warrior tended to play by the rules (filling out the proper forms, dashing off a terse memo) but in Scorpio he’s on his own turf. In the sign of the scorpion, Mars plays defense, and our challenge is to be self-protective without being reactive. It’s appropriate to protect what’s yours and ours, but we need to be mindful that too much caution can cut off possibilities before they have a chance to blossom.

With Mercury stationing to go direct a day later, there’s certainly the possibility that a misunderstanding or miscommunication triggers Mars’ defensive pose. Remember, too, that Mercurial mishaps multiply around the stations, so double-check technology, transportation, and communications. It’s probably a good idea to speak in-person or by phone rather than relying on texts, emails, and written communication around this time, as once again the Mercury/Mars combination could lead to misinterpretation.

Mars opposes Uranus on the weekend of the 23rd/24th, an energy that could be hard to handle. There’s an impatient, reactive quality to this aspect that can be problematic, especially if you feel threatened or frustrated. It’s a good time to do things you’re sure about, but don’t get caught up in a ‘drama of the moment’.

That said, Venus meets with her BFF, Jupiter, on the same weekend. This is a sweet aspect, especially so in Jupiter’s home sign of Sagittarius. If we can move past the Mars/Uranus tension – or use it constructively – there’s great potential for socializing, romance, and a general good time. In fact, the ‘danger’ of too much of a good thing is the only caveat that comes with Venus and Jupiter together.

After saying goodbye to Jupiter, Venus enters Capricorn on the 25th, where she’ll stay until December 20th. In the sign of the mountain goat (or sea-goat) Venus tends more towards the traditional when it comes to socializing and romance. Great for holiday office parties and more formal occasions, Venus in Saturn’s sign is a little less playful than usual. With meetings with Saturn and Pluto on her social calendar, there could be some decisions made about relationships during the next few weeks.

The new moon is on the 26th, just a few days after the Sun enters Sagittarius. The Sagittarius new moon is a time to look forward to the future. Consider travel plans, educational endeavors, and where you want to explore. While an essentially inward time, we’re focused on ‘big picture’ matters.

With Neptune stationing to go direct just a day later, this new moon represents something of a portal to other worlds, as the subtle realms tend to have easier access when Neptune is prominent in the sky. That suggests on the one hand a kind of spiritual exploration (perhaps via dreams), but on the other hand there could also be a little bit of unrealistic dreaming. The period from the 25th through the 28th is great for inner exploration, but hold off on making important changes in the more earthly, practical realms.

December

December’s first event is a major shift: Jupiter moves into Capricorn on the 2nd. While there’s much to be said about this placement of Jupiter in Saturn’s sign, the most important point might be that this is an opportunity (Jupiter) to work (Capricorn). There may not be many freebies with Jupiter in Capricorn, but if you can find something to devote your energies towards, the rewards over the coming year should be just a little more than your effort warrants.

It’s always good to look to the events on the day of a planet’s ingress to get an idea of what the transit through the sign will be like. With the Sun meeting truth-teller asteroid Pallas Athene in Sagittarius (and on the fixed star Antares, a fortunate star associated with the Archangel Oriel), we’re likely to see key information coming to light around this time.

In contrast, the Sun’s square to Neptune on the 7th is liable to pull us in the other direction, towards obfuscation and even deception. Much like the period at the end of November, this is a time for contacting other realms, doing dream work and meditation, and engaging in a little healthy escapism. It can be difficult to know what’s really going on in the more practical, Saturnian sense, so put major decisions on hold. Be inspired, but cautious.

The period from December 10th through the 14th is packed with energy, and represents the most active and overtly charged time in the month. Venus meets with Saturn and Pluto, lending a sense of deadlines and decisions to relationships and financial matters. Chiron stations to go direct at the first degree of Aries, and we have the full moon in Gemini.

This is a time when many of us will feel emotions very acutely. While some will be inclined to act with determination, others will vacillate as self-doubt crowds out our more rational, balanced thoughts. As with any full moon, watch what happens with a degree of detachment.

As the month draws to a close, we get an extra little pop of celestial activity. Venus’ square to Uranus on the 22nd should open us up to new social and romantic possibilities. We’re perhaps more inclined to connections where we can maintain our individuality, and we’ll certainly be interested in trying something (or someone) new and different.

The solar eclipse on December 26th is closely conjuct Jupiter, at the earliest degrees of Capricorn, while also trine to Uranus. There’s a kind implosion/explosion energy about this eclipse, a seeding of deep change as we sense that ‘enough is enough’ with the status quo. This eclipse heralds the coming Saturn/Pluto conjunction in mid-January, the beginning of a 36-year cycle of social and political transformations.

While the end of 2019 is likely to be somewhat tense, even the stormiest of astrological weather can be managed constructively if we approach it with awareness and compassion. It’s a time to accept change as inevitable, and to work for those changes we want.

Have a Happy New Year!

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 ArmandDiaz.com.