Honeycomb Astrology Planners!

 

I want to do a shout out to Honeycomb Collective and their fantastic astrology calendars and almanacs.   A few years ago I was listening to Chris Brennan and his Astrology Podcast  and he thanked his sponsor Honeycomb Collective.  I had not heard of them but when Chris waxed on beautifully about how much value he gets from their almanacs and how they are drafted on his natal chart, I thought, "ooo that sounds good"    I think this was around 2018 and I immediately purchased a calendar.  It is really easy, you plug in your birthdata and they create the almanac that has all the basic stuff such as new and full moons but also when the transits of the planets impact your natal chart.    

It is so much more thorough than the general astro calendars.   The good news is  YOU don't have to do the work.   No figuring out when the planets will get in your personal mix.   I love it.    When Mars retrograde two years ago and Venus retrograded this year I was well prepared for the zaps to my Moon and other planets.     Much easier to watch thy tongue when I saw planets pounding my Mercury.  

Give yourself the gift of Honeycomb.  

Just to be clear I don't get anything from writing this up.   I was looking at my calendar for 2024 and was so excited I thought I would share the info with you.  Not sure why it took me so long to tell you about it.   But glad I am here now  :)  

Mercury Stations Direct: January 1, 7:07pm PST 22 Sag 11

 

Image from Roman Oleh at AstrologyHoroscopeReadings.Com 

Mercury 

 

11/25 Mercury shadow begins

12/13 12:09 am PST Mercury station retrograde 8 Cap 29

12/22 Mercury re-enters Sagittarius  

1/1/24 7:07pm PST Mercury station direct 22 Sag 11 

1/13/24 Mercury re-enters Capricorn 

1/22/24 Mercury shadow ends

 

Since 12/13 (same day of Sag New Moon) Mercury has been retrograde and then on January 1^st (USA time) Mercury stations direct.   What a nice way to launch 2024.     Once Mercury stations direct at 22 Sag, the only planet retrograde is Uranus until January 27.  Then between January 27 and April 1 –all the planets will be in direct motion.   Yay.  

 

At the end Mercury retrogrades (of which there are at least three per year) we are well served to look back on the three-week period and reflect on what may have transpired and what we learned.     That’s a good rule for all Mercury retrogrades but certainly even more significant when it involves Sagittarius.    Sagittarius is always trying to expand its world and learn something.   With Sag we also process any of our misguided righteousness or ‘know-it-all-ness that got in our way.    Additionally with Sag we look at how we found faith.    We should also consider if problems were solved when we got out of way, brought in a ‘foreign’ way of doing something and it was the correct move with the better results.  

 

Because this Mercury retrograde also included the first 8 degrees of Capricorn, we benefit by assessing how and when the pragmatic answer was the best choice.  Did we also have thoughts about how we are in the world?  Where did we put ourselves out there in a bigger way and did it work or not work?   What changes can we make to improve our way in the world?     Also how did bureaucracy work or not work for us?    

 

After January 1^st Mercury will unwind and we may bump into themes that came up since it went into the shadow on November 25.   On January 13, Mercury will re-enter Capricorn and then finally on January 22, the shadow period will end.    

Our next Mercury retrograde is not until April 1.   Until then, use this time wisely, oh, how Capricorn of us.  😊

Astrology for the Week: December 26 - January 1

 

December 26, 2023

Full Moon

4:33 pm PST 

4 Cancer 58  

 

Full Moon:  We make the needed adjustments on the things we planted. Usually, emotions are up and running and for those people who perhaps did not utilize the new moon and the rest of the waxing moon, this is when emotions can get the better of us.  There can often be a big emotional break, for no other reason than to get back on track.   Some partnership will offer up some balance.  The moon is bright and full and there is no room for shadows, what is reflecting on you?  

 

Focus on:   How are you emotions guiding you?  How do your feelings inform you about your goals?   What is family reflecting back to you?  What is the good that you got from family?   What is the not-so-good that you got from family?    How do your roots strengthen you?   When do your family emotions get in your way?   For more on Full Moon go HERE. 

 

 

Special focus 

12/27: Sun trine Jupiter.  Joy and abundance that comes with practical application and pragmatic vision.  

12/27: Mercury conjunct Mars.  The tongue is sharp and razor.  Take caution. 

12/28: Mars square Neptune.  Fuzzy warrior.  Perhaps misguided.   Intuition needs to be found.   

12/28: Venus sextile Pluto.  Joy, creativity, values get a needed and gentle overhaul in some small way. 

12/29 Venus enters Sagittarius.   Three weeks of big love and big creativity.  

 

 

Disseminating

December 30, 2023

3:50pm PST       

     

 

 

Focus on:   How are you sharing your dramatic side?  How are you sharing your strength?  How are you sharing your big?  How are you sharing pride?  How are you sharing your ability to be brave?  

 

 

Special focus:

12/30 :  Jupiter stations direct  (5 Taurus 35) at 6:40pm PST (see link) 

1/1/24:  Mercury station direct (22 Sag) 11at 8:37pm PST ( see link) 

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Cancer Full Moon: December 26 - 4:35pm PST

 

Cancer Full Moon 

December 26, 2023

4 :35pm PST 

The Cancer full moon bounces in on December 26 for its three-day cycle.    Cancer’s domain is memories, family, cozy, emotions, tenderness, and the kitchen which is by all definition the driving forces of the holiday season.  

In the chart of the full moon, the Sun trines Jupiter, and the moon sextiles Jupiter.    Jupiter is the largest planet in the zodiac so there will be an opportunity to be BIG, perhaps gifts and food and merrymaking could be on the verge of ‘over-the-top’.   Luckily there is built in brakes given the Sun in Capricorn is too sensible to go crazy with spending and indulgence.  The moon in Cancer which is always looking for nurturing and the sextile to Jupiter may offer up comfort by experiences with others who have different ways.   Things that might appear to be ‘foreign’ bring warmth and the heart feels kinship.   

 

Double downing on the power of sensibility is also the Sun sextile Saturn and the Moon trine Saturn.   When someone says, ‘What do you want to do?”  the answer that brings the most comfort will be the one that is the most practical.    "Less is More" is the catch phrase for this full moon and its three-day cycle.      There is also a patina of responsibility for the full moon that is welcomed.    There is some type of comfort and respite by taking care of business and responsibilities even in the holiday season.   

 

Mercury continues to be retrograde, so the thrills and spills that come with missed communications or fuzzy facts, mistaken thoughts and foot in mouthiness are still part of the landscape.  As always, the answer is to slow down, double check everything important and take your time.   And sure if you can, think before speaking 😊  

 

A couple hours after the launch of the full moon, Chiron stations direct at 15 degrees of Aries. Chiron, which is a planetoid, rules self-wounding and healing and has been in Aries since 2019.   During Chiron’s transit of Aries, we, as a collective body are learning the power of self-agency, the importance of being independent, being brave and breaking new ground.    Chiron in Aries occurred previously between 1968-1977 and before that 1918-1926.    Both of those cycles we see marked changes in independence.  Women’s Right to Vote (1919) and Stonewall (1969), Roe V Wade (1973) and anti-war movement are part of Chiron in Aries. Being loud, being heard and forging a new way, speaks to Chiron in fiery Aries.  Because it is self-wounding, Chiron may not at first get it right.   The impetus for change may be righteous but getting there can have hurdles.   But the hardships are part of the healing.  We learn from mistakes with Chiron. Chiron has been retrograding since July 23 and now on this full moon it stations direct.   Perhaps our emotions which are highlighted on a Cancer full moon will be extra aware of our journey and struggle.   We may begin to see  some softening of hurdles both on a personal and global level.   There is also a toughening that comes with Chiron in Aries.   Forging our future takes steely nerves and after each retrograde, we may see and feel a new confidence to move forward.    Do not be surprised if you feel the energy shift on the 26^th.   Those people with planets between 15-20 degrees of cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) are extra sensitive to Chiron.  Luckily it is landing on this gentle Cancer Full moon. 

 

The Cancer moon gets its power by getting quiet, perhaps taking a long hot shower or a steamy bath, eating a nourishing meal and taking a moment to connect with the inner psyche. Our psyche is rich with memories and emotions, and we benefit when we connect with that inner landscape and honor the good memories and where there are challenging memories take time to acknowledge how far we’ve come.  

 

Happy Full Moon and Happy Holidays.   

Astrology for Dec 16 - 25

 

Crescent Moon Phase

December 16, 2023

1:08am PST  

 

Crescent:  We will receive information, we will research a bit more, perhaps get feedback on stuff that we planted on new.  Perhaps get some information that will help down the road on a seed we planted a while ago.  We can collect some data now.  Even if you think you are not getting information, stop, and re-look at everything.  Who called you?  Even the silliest things when they come up during Crescent are note worthy.  A parking ticket.  An argument with a spouse?  A refund check from the phone company?  All of it needs to be considered a message from the universe.  How can this information help you?

 

Focus on: What are you learning about your friendships?   How do they expand your world?  How is your tribe a reflection of your philosophies?    How is your tribe not connected to your goals?  Does it work?  Or not work? 

 

Special Focus

12/18: Mercury trine Jupiter.  This is the second one (12/7 first) third is Jan 19.  Big ideas.  Big opinions.  Big gravitational changing conversations.  

 

 

First Quarter Moon 

December 19, 2023

10:39am PST 

 

 

First quarter: We do more actions based on the information that we just received.  Or we feel our instincts guide us on something.  We pursue again.  We make another call, or we see someone. We mail something.  We stir the pot again.  This can be a time when we realize that the goals, we planted on new need more action from us, perhaps actions that involve breaking away.   Are there people who say they have our best interest in heart but fear us growing away from them?  Maybe we need to get help from others not the usual suspects.  Some independence may need to be exerted. 

 

 

Focus on:  How are you taking actions that speak to your faith?  How are you taking actions that speak to something bigger?   What knowledge do you have that may not be written down or learned in a traditional manner but still you are informed?   How is your mystical guiding you?  

 

 

Special Note

 

12/20:  Venus oppose Uranus. Love and values get out of the blue actions.   Lightning strikes  on money, love, beauty, creativity.  How does it work? 

12/21: Mercury sextile Saturn. Structured thinking is inspiring.   Less is more on every thought.  

12/21 : Sun enters Capricorn.  First day of Winter. 

12/22 : Mercury conjunct Sun.   Thinking about our place in the world.   Is it time to be out there more?   How are our leaders showing up or not showing up?   

 

12/22 : Mecury re-enters Sagittarius.  Thinking is a bit more positive.  The glass is a bit more full.  Our communication is cheerier.  

 

 

Gibbous Moon

December 22, 2023  

11:28pm PST  

 

 

Gibbous:

We refine our information.  We pick and choose, we discriminate, and we organize to be ‘Virgo’ like.  We sort through details.  Have we missed something?  How are we sifting through the information?  Go back and make sure something hasn’t been neglected.  Refine our actions.  

 

Focus on:  How are you refining your properties?  How are you refining your values?  How are you refining you skills to build something one bit at a time?  How are you refining your money and resources?  

 

Special focus

12/24: Sun sextile Saturn.  Finding order brings stability and long range goals into sight.   

12/24: Mars trine North Node.  Actions that lean into independence are fruitful.  

12/25: Venus trine Neptune.  Love of humanity.  Love of the people around us.  Finding moment of joy even if it is in bed watching movies.    Cozy is there to be found. 

12/25: Mercury square Neptune.  Fuzzy communication already in place with the retrograde, now with the square to Neptune we double down in fuzzy.   If people aren’t honest how do we move around it from an inner knowing?  

Jupiter Station Direct: Dec 30, 2023 6:40pm PST

 

Jupiter in what appears to be really high end shower.   

Jupiter 

June 11:    Shadow begins (5 Taurus 35) 

Sep 4:        Jupiter station retrograde Taurus 34 (15 Taurus 35)

Dec 30 :    Jupiter station direct (5 Taurus 35) at 6:40pm PST 

Mar 23 :    Shadow ends (15 Taurus 35) 

 

 

For the last three months (since Sept 4) Jupiter brought its bigness between 5 and 16 degrees of Taurus.   Anyone with planets at those degrees especially the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio & Aquarius) have felt, no doubt, a huge gravitational pull.    

 

Jupiter loves to be big.   Taurus loves earth, property, real estate, money, banks, projects, building stuff, beauty, and love.   Taurus does not like making waves.   But when something gets in its way and stops Taurus from its values, get out of the way.  The bull will stampede and gore.  Where have you been stampeding?   Where have you found the gravity spinning you?    What’s going on with your money?   How have you been drilling deep on your values?  

 

During Jupiter retrograde we may have figured out what works and what needs patience.  This could be the perfect antidote and follow up to anything Uranus changed or broke since it entered Taurus in 2018.    What are you rebuilding?  Did you get clarity during the retrograde?   A lot with Jupiter is about philosophy.  Have you experienced a change in your opinions?  Are your big opinions working for you and your goals of building something from the ground up?  What change of opinion has become more aligned with your values since September.   As Jupiter unwinds, have a lot more to explore before Jupiter enters Gemini next May.  

 

Mercury retrograde December 12, 11:09pm PST

 

Wikipedia photo image 

So, yes we are having a new moon today but later in the evening (PST) Mercury will station retrograde.   So let's slow everything down, folks :) 

Mercury 

 

11/25 Mercury shadow begins

12/13 12:09 am PST Mercury station retrograde 8 Cap 29

12/22 Mercury re-enters Sagittarius  

1/1/24 8:37pm PST Mercury station direct 22 Sag 11 

1/13/24 Mercury re-enters Capricorn 

1/22/24 Mercury shadow ends

 

Usually there are three Mercury retrogrades per year but sometimes we can get four, such is the case this year.    As a reminder, Mercury retrogrades encourage us to slow down and research.   Try to hold off on important purchases and signing contracts if you can.  If you must do important just double check every t before you cross it and dot every i.   We don’t get frozen by the retrograde we just slow down.  

 

Mercury in Capricorn is very practical.   It is a super pragmatic thinker.  It is a focused and restrained.  It can do a mental heavy lift.   Anything that needs hard thinking and hard work, it can figure a way to do it.  Capricorn understands small wins can make an ultimate success.   Mercury in Capricorn looks around and knows exactly what is broken in the system.  In the mundane world, during this retrograde there will be stories on electeds or leaders in some sort of manner who are showing up and doing the work and having successes and others who created big failures and are only at the job to pull chains and climb up the ladder.     Watch the news for who is on the right side and who is on the wrong side of history.   

 

On another note, it is interesting that Pluto who is now direct in the last degrees of Capricorn and Mercury is going backward in Capricorn.  It is almost as if we all need to focus on the Capricornia energy that is our government and big business and leadership before we do our next round of Pluto in Aquarius in January.   Our landscape will reveal a lot in this retrograde period from shadow to shadow.  

 

On a personal level, Mercury is how we think and how we communicate with others and with self.    Capricorn can be negative and can look at the glass as half empty.   You may find yourself hanging out in a cynical head space while Mercury is retrograde in Capricorn.   But when Mercury re-enters Sagittarius on December 22 we can shake off some of the negative thinking and begin contemplating a way out.    We look for a light.  

 

While there may be an inclination to grit our teeth and just white knuckle through any hurdles that come up during the retrograde, don’t truncate the real impact that Capricorn can offer.   Consider percolating in the negative thinking where you may feel less than or the recipient of the short end of the stick.  Don’t suppress all those icky feelings.  Let them come up and use them to inform you as to what is broken in your system.  Then during Mercury’s return to Sag consider how others do things, perhaps people who are foreign or just have a foreign attitude to how you do things.  One that you normally don’t experience.   Is there something there for you?    Then when Mercury stations direct on January 1 you can begin efforts in a meaningful way to fix issues on the ground level and by the time, we get to Mercury returning to Capricorn on January 13 there could be some small wins.  Sometimes feeling the hardship and struggle make the success that much sweeter.  

 

Watch the houses that contain the transit of 22 Sagittarius to 9 degrees Capricorn for important insights and themes. 

Sagittarius New Moon: December 12, 2023 3:32pm PST

 

Image Wikipedia - Wisconsin State house 

Scorpio New Moon 

 

December 12, 2023

3:32 pm PST

20 Sagittarius 40 

I love a good Sag new moon probably because I am a Sag.  However, there are periodically some Sag new moons that are quieter.   The world, the landscape is muted and is usually reflected in the chart.  In this case, Neptune is telling Sag, 'Shhh.  Use your indoor voice".    Finding joy is not about the big this season at the end of the 29 day cycle you will probably find that it was the moments, the bits of joy that had the most meaning.

Read my whole write up about Sag new moon at Margaret Wendt Website. 

  

 

Mars Sun Synodic Cycle

 

Image from NASA 

As we wrap up the Scorpio lunar month I think it is important to pull out the information I wrote in the new moon report regarding the Mars Sun Synodic Cycle.   This period will last until January 2026. 

Because Mars and the Sun travel at different speeds, they can only form conjunctions once every twenty-six months. November 17^th is the beginning of this new synodic (has gone around the zodiac) cycle and closes out the previous cycle which started October 7, 2021 (Libra).   This new synodic cycle launching on the 17^thhas important milestone dates: 

 

Nov 17, 2023     Sun conjunction Mars (25 Scorpio)

Oct 14, 2024      Sun opening Square Mars (21 Libra/Cancer)

Jan 15, 2025     Sun opposite Mars (25 Cap/Cancer)

April 21,2025   Sun closing Square Mars (1 Taurus/Leo)

January 9, 2026 – New Sun Conjunction Mars (18 Capricorn)

  

Because of their weird speeds, each Mars/Sun synodic cycle, in a particular sign is a unique opportunity because only a few will happen in any lifetime.   Case in point the last time we had a Scorpio Mars/Sun was in 1991 and the next time will be in 2070.  

 

The Scorpio Mars/Sun energy is of course the plumber, surgeon, detective, deep diver and expert in both crime and punishment and master of the psyche.  The world will be on a journey as this synodic cycle unfolds between now and the opening square in fall of 2024.  At that point we may have a good idea of the tasks that need all our skills harnessed during this 2023-2024 time.  By January 2025 at the opposition, we will be clear where we had successes and losses and can adjust our goals and tackle with new knowledge. Then in April 2025 more obstacles will come forward but now we have mastered skills and recognize solutions quicker.  Finally, we wrap this cycle in January 2026 and begin the new path. For those people with planets at these degrees, you will no doubt feel and ride the aspect in a personal manner and would benefit by connecting back with this Scorpio energy of this new moon for some insight.  

Astrology for November 30 - December 12

 

Disseminating

November 30, 2023

7:41pm PST       

     

 

Focus on:   How are you sharing your emotions and asking for support? How are you sharing your emotions that connect to needs?  

How are your emotions helpful to others?  

 

 

Special focus:

12/1 : Mercury enter Capricorn 

12/2 : Mercury sextile Saturn.  Structured communication.  Thoughts that bring out leadership and authority.   

12 :3 : Venus square Pluto.  Values, love, and creativity that are corrupted in their center will be pushed to evolve.   Can Love of Power morph into the power of love? 

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Last Quarter Moon Phase

December 4, 2023 

9:49 pm PST    

   

 

Last Quarter moon:  Now we do the final adjustments to the seeds we planted on new. The final call, the final letters to send, we follow all the trails that came up that still make sense.  And we let the other parts lay fallow. It is a time of action but wise action.  It is a time for living “The serenity prayer” 

 

God, grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change Courage to change the
things I can, and the
Wisdom to know the difference.

 

 

 

Focus on:

What final actions can you take that tie up loose ends?   Are your actions based on anxiety or nerves?  How does your calendar serve others?  

 

 

Special focus 

12/4: Venus enters Scorpio.  Six weeks of deep values and transformation. 

12/5: Venus trine Saturn.  Structure around love and values.

12/6: Neptune station direct 24 Pisces 53 (see separate post) 

12/7: Sun trine Chiron.  Bridges to things or people that are ‘foreign’ can help wounds around self-agency and independence 

12/7: Mercury trine Jupiter.  Thinking that is big.  Ideas that are global and far reaching.  

 

Balsamic Moon Phase

 

December 08, 2023 

3:43am PST 

 

 

Balsamic:   We let go.  By releasing we can prepare for the new.  

 

 

Focus on:  How are you releasing anger?  How are you releasing aggressiveness?  How are you releasing your lethal side?   

 

 

Special focus:

 

12/09: Venus oppose Jupiter.  Big parties, big money, big Big feels too big.  Values get extreme. 

12/10: Venus sextile Mercury.  Communication around values is supported.   

 

 

December 12, 3:32pm PST  (20 Sagittarius 40)  

Neptune Station Direct: December 6, 2023 -

 

Neptune Station Direct

December 6, 2023 

5 :22am

24 Pisces 53 

 

 

Neptune ends its annual retrograde which started June 30.  On December 6 it will have returned all the way back to the degree it was on March 24. Neptune is a slow unwind.  We are in the last decadent of Pisces and between now and 2025, Neptune will finish off Pisces bit by bit.  Those people who have planets between 24 and 27 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces have probably been feeling extra free floating which may be uncomfortable.  Now with Neptune moving in direct motion youmay be able to get some grounding.  Accent on ‘some’. 

 

Neptune travels slow all month and will be very slow as it approaches December 6 when it will station and turn direct.  Neptune’s journey in Pisces accents the power of humanitarianism.  How are we all connected?   While we can celebrate our differences, talents, skills, unique histories, Neptune in Pisces reminds us we are still humans on Earth trying to find our way.    Who loves whom?  What make someone laugh?  Cry?   Who reaches out for a kind hand?   Who provides it?   Who provides art?  Where do people find joy?  How are some inspired?   Who do we inspire?  The last time Neptune was in Pisces was 1848-1861.   Our current era ends in 2025 when Neptune moves into Aries.   That will be a very different era.  Let’s make the most of this tender Pisces period.   Watch what comes up around Dec 6 and see how in informs you of your own tenderness.