New Moon in Sagittarius, Mercury Goes Retrograde, & The Sun Squares Neptune—Something New, Something Old, Something True
Weekly Forecast For Tuesday, December 12—Monday, December 18, 2023
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You’re listening to the AstroMommy Weekly horoscope, a forecast that hopes to shine a light in the dark, helping us all see where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. Whether you’re a first-time listener or a long-time subscriber, thanks for being here! I truly appreciate you being in the AstroMommy community. I hope you enjoy this week’s horoscopes and card reading.
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Without further ado, here is the weekly horoscope.
Good afternoon, friends!
I hope you all had a nice week and weekend and that things have been going well for you. If you have been going through a tough time, remember that we have been in the Balsamic phase of the Moon and the Moon was also in Scorpio, her fall, over the weekend and these two things together can be challenging emotionally, so if you’ve been going through an emotional time, you’re not alone.
I’d like to remind everyone that there are fun gifts in the family Etsy shop—not only are there astrology-themed items, but also there are mugs with my blind contour drawings on them of celebrities, one of my favorite Sagittarians is pictured below (can you guess who it is?). These are truly one-of-a-kind pieces that I hand-draw without looking at the paper because that seems to be the only way I can produce anything even remotely entertaining! You can check out the full collection of blind contour drawing mugs and prints here. If you have a celebrity or a family member that you would like me to draw and put on a mug, I do accept custom orders! Just sayin…
Honestly, I would recommend doing all of your holiday shopping before Wednesday, December 13, when Mercury stations retrograde because I have a feeling there are going to be many, many delays with the mail this holiday season! It may be a good idea to have multiple plans in case your carefully laid ones go awry!
Also, I have changed the Weekly Horoscope schedule for the next three weeks. Because it is the holidays and I am busier than usual and dealing with illness going through the family, I have decided to approach the weekly forecast a bit differently. Instead of going through each day, I am going to write a Weekly Overview and card, a Moon overview and card; then we are going to look at the charts of the three main transits this week and discuss those, and finish with a 3-Card Tarot reading. I will still be posting the daily check-ins for the paid tiers—new subscribers are always welcome! *hint hint! This paired-down holiday schedule will allow me a little bit more flexibility during this busy time.
Thank you for understanding!
As always, if you have any questions, you can reply to this newsletter or send me an email to astromommyastrology@gmail.com, thank you!
Okay, let’s get into… the astrology
(All times are in Eastern Time (ET) unless mentioned otherwise)
The Weekly Overview
This week we have three important transits to focus on. The first is that the New Moon in Sagittarius is Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at 6:31 pm ET.
The second is that Mercury in Capricorn is stationing retrograde on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.
And the third is that the Sun in Sagittarius will perfect a square to Neptune in Pisces on Saturday, December 16th, 2023.
Okay, so let’s summarize these transits a bit.
The New Moon is always a time of new beginnings or new seeds being planted—so we have the New Moon in Sagittarius, the symbol of which is the Centaur, half-human, half-horse, who represents wisdom, healing, and medicine, and also rowdiness, nihilism, and hedonism. We will go over the New Moon chart later on in the Weekly Forecast, but basically, this is a seeding point of something that we believe and it will have to do with topics associated with the house that Sagittarius rules in your chart.
Because it is a New Moon, that means I will be posting a new word list for this lunar cycle’s poetry slam, so keep your eyes out for that coming soon!
Mercury retrograde in Capricorn, starting on Wednesday may bring about all the usual delays, mishaps, and technology glitches, but also heralds a time of revision, reworking, and/or reorganizing your priorities and your resources in a way that can sustain your climb up the mountain. Capricorn symbolizes ascending the mountainside with perseverance and stamina, but since Mercury will be traveling back into Sagittarius and then stationing direct on January 1-2, 2024, it’s like Mercury needs to go back to the land of freedom and inspiration and gather up a bit more hope, faith, and vision to make it up to the summit this next year! Pluto will be ingressing into Aquarius at the end of 2024 for good and so it’s almost as if Mercury, knowing this, needs a refuel of the fire energy. Mercury will be going retrograde in the fire signs next year and I think this symbolizes being mentally inspired and fueled up in 2024 to be able to handle all the changes that are coming with Pluto’s last year of transition. So, this retrograde in Capricorn is a very important refueling moment. Because it starts in Capricorn, there are plans and the discipline to follow through on those intentions, then he picks up the torch, as it were in Sagittarius, and starts the New Year with a full tank of gas. There are a few interesting transits that Mercury will make during the retrograde that I think are very important that we will discuss in more detail when we discuss the chart.
The Sun squaring Neptune on Saturday is a challenging aspect that requires some honest self-reflection. On the one hand, people could feel divinely guided to make choices that affect their missions or the plotlines of their lives; feeling called toward something—like the Judgment card in the Tarot--rising to their higher calling. On the other hand, there could be delusions, lies, or self-doubt at work here and this transit could represent thinking that what you are being called to do is just and true, but then finding out that you were actually delusional or the other entity involved was deceitful. So, I think it would be wise to approach this transit with caution and perhaps seek a second opinion when needed. The Sun square Neptune can also symbolize a time of weakened vitality and since we are in the cold and flu season, it would be sensible to take good care of oneself during this time, more so than others.
The tarot card for the overall theme for this week is:
Daughter of Cups
The Daughter of Cups is all about new and creative opportunities, intuitive messages, and emotions that may pop out of nowhere and you get to decide what to do with them. This card suggests following your intuition and going with the flow to see where it takes you.
Open your mind and heart to the impossible and let yourself dream and be guided by natural omens and synchronicities. Be like a child, curious and filled with wonder about the Universe and the opportunities presented. The Daughter of Cups asks you to explore the emotional and intuitive sides of yourself.
Since the Pages are the messengers of the Tarot, the Daughter of Cups is akin to the Page of Cups, and this card could mean a message has come to you or will come to you, out of the blue that may be about a creative idea, opportunity, or possibility. Whatever the message is, it will be pleasant.
This is interesting since Mercury made a trine to Jupiter last week, portending possible good news, and will form another trine to Jupiter next Monday, December 18, 2023, during his retrograde cycle, again meaning good news.
The Moon Overview
The Moon starts the week out in the optimistic, hedonistic, and philosophical sign of Sagittarius and moves into the hard-working, diligent, and hands-on sign of Capricorn on Wednesday. Then she will ingress into the rebellious, individual, and unorthodox sign of Aquarius on Friday and stay there until Sunday afternoon when she will make her way into the imaginative, non-discriminatory, and diffuse sign of Pisces.
Next week, the Moon starts out in Pisces and makes her First Quarter square on Tuesday afternoon at 27° Pisces 35’.
Emotionally, we may be feeling guided by our beliefs and principles at the beginning of the week with the Sagittarius New Moon and then we’ll move into implementing our plans, working out our strategies, and preparing for change and integration as the week goes on.
The Tarot card representing the tool for managing our emotions this week is:
8 of Wands
The arrows flying through the air represent fast change, movement, or messages coming in quickly! It could even be indicative of air travel.
As the card that represents the tool for managing our emotions, I feel this means that we will possibly be experiencing many emotions all at once. Overall this card is usually positive so there could be a lot of energy, drive, and desire for change to happen and I feel this means to go with the current and ride the waves rather than go against them.
Here is a helpful affirmation for this card, which I think may be useful, considering:
“It’s go time! I fall into the flow of this quickening energy and I swiftly face my desires, head-on.” (2019)1
Now we’ll go over the three main transits for this week and corresponding charts and then we’ll do a 3-card tarot spread for the week.
New Moon in Sagittarius, TUESDAY, December 12, 2023
You can see in the chart above, the New Moon in Sagittarius on the right-hand side with Mars co-present.
The Sun and Moon are separating from their quincunx to Uranus in Taurus retrograde in the upper left of the chart, but they are both applying to a sesquiquadrate with Jupiter, who is co-present with Uranus in Taurus and is retrograde as well. Venus in Scorpio, at the bottom right of the chart, is applying to a sesquiquadrate to Neptune, located at the top of the chart, and co-present with Saturn in Pisces.
Jupiter is the dispositor of this New Moon since he is the ruler of Sagittarius, therefore what is happening with him is incredibly important. First, he is retrograde, but only until the end of December so about two more weeks. Second, he is still engaging in a trine from Mercury and will be for the first part of Mercury’s retrograde. And third, he has just separated from an opposition from Venus in Scorpio, who is moving toward a trine to Neptune which will perfect on December 25, 2023. The Moon and Sun will also move into a trine to Jupiter—the Moon on Wednesday, December 13, and the Sun on December 27th, 2023. So, Jupiter is looking forward to many positive aspects as well as stationing direct by Month’s end. I think this means that this New Moon is heralding an upcoming shift in fortune. We can also see this upcoming shift indicated by the sesquiquadrates in the New Moon chart which speak of something that has been started but is experiencing some delays at the moment. Once those obstacles are removed or dealt with, the thing that was started will come to pass.
So, we have a new, hopeful beginning in whatever house Sagittarius rules in your chart, that may experience some delays or growing pains as it gets going, but eventually it will be smooth sailing!
Mars is in a semisquare to Pluto in this chart, meaning that we want things to change or go faster right now, but we have to wait for the right time—the right time is signified by the upcoming trines from the Moon, Sun, and Mars to Jupiter. Mars will ingress into Capricorn on January 4, 2024, and then trine Jupiter on January 12.
Mercury Stations Retrograde, WEDNESDAY, December 13, 2023
Mercury stations retrograde at 8° Capricorn 29’.
Last year he went retrograde in Capricorn at 24° on December 29, 2022, and traveled back to 8°, so it was a full retrograde in Capricorn. This year, he starts out in Capricorn and goes back to 22°Sagittarius 10’, stationing direct on January 1-2, 2024, so there is a change mid-retrograde in Mercury’s sign, and thus a change to his dignity and I feel this will add a significant flavor shift to this cycle.
Let’s take a look at the Mercury retrograde chart. I will be posting horoscopes for all 12 signs on Wednesday.
You can see the star of the show, Mercury, located at the bottom of the chart above. He is not directly aspecting anything at the start of this retrograde, but he is still within the 3°range of engagement with Jupiter by trine. He made a trine to Jupiter in direct motion on December 7 and will form another trine to him during his retrograde on December 18, and finally, a third trine to Jupiter after he stations direct on January 19, 2024.
So, I feel that Mercury trine Jupiter is a transit that we are seeing a lot of over the next month and that is pretty exciting! Mercury and Jupiter in a harmonious aspect can mean good news, good judgment, and positive thinking, overall. It could also represent prosperity in the marketplace, thinking about the big picture, and lots of little things, details, and micro components falling into place for the benefit of all involved. I really like this transit being part of this retrograde cycle as it may help us to deal with the typically annoying aspects of a Mercury retrograde, like tech glitches, communication problems, machines and cars breaking down, etc…
Because this transit is happening right after the New Moon in Sagittarius, that chart is very much still in play as well, so there is the feeling that the new beginning that we are embarking on in the Sagittarius house of our charts is being coupled with the need to revise, rework, and reorganize something to make it all work out in the end. As I said in the opening, it’s like Mercury has to go back and get some fuel to be able to move forward with a full tank of gas.
Another interesting thing about this retrograde is that Mercury will be making squares to Neptune—he made his first back on November 27 and he’ll make the second square to Neptune during the retrograde on December 27, and then he’ll make the final square in direct motion on January 8, 2024. This aspect can mean lies, deception, and delusional thinking or it could mean a heightened sense of imagination or creativity or producing something ethereal, otherworldly, or mystical through the voice, words, music, or writing. So, on the most positive note it could mean producing some writing, music, or means of expression and on the negative side, it could be symbolizing deception, lies, or literally a weakened voice, sense of speech, or foggy head.
Sun Squares Neptune, SATURDAY, December 16, 2023
The Sun squares Neptune twice a year and can symbolize a moment when we are hyper-sensitive to the stimuli around us, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual. This extra sensitivity can create imbalance which can lead to fatigue, stress, and even illness.
Some of the classic interpretations of the Sun/Neptune combination that are positive are things like feeling spiritually illuminated, having more compassion for those who are less fortunate than yourself, and a heightened sensitivity to omens, signs, and divine messages.
On the negative side, we have a decrease in vitality, feeling confused about our life or our purpose, and deception with the self and/or others. It can be an enlightening time either way, but it has been my experience so far over the last almost two years of tracking the daily transits that the Sun square Neptune has the tendency to challenge our physical bodies as well as challenge our ability to cut through the mental fog, confusion, and clutter in our minds. It’s a time of detoxification and sometimes when you detox, you may experience fatigue, headache, and that sort of thing, so this transit seems to show up sometimes in a physical way. It can also be a spiritual release and can signify a time when solar figures and themes are explored or set free into otherworldly realms.
Looking at the chart above, you can see the Sun at the bottom of the chart in a square, a 90° angle, to Neptune in Pisces on the right of the chart at about the 3 o’clock position.
The square is said to be of the nature of Mars so there is always challenge, work, energy, and a push with the square aspect as well as the sense that we are fighting for or against something—either physically as with an illness or spiritually as with a divinely inspired purpose.
The Sun is applying to Neptune and is in the superior position, meaning that the Sun is overcoming Neptune with its light, its heat, and its intensity. In the Summer, on June 18, 2023, when the Sun squared Neptune from his position in Gemini, Neptune was in the superior position--so it was almost like the Sun was hit with a tidal wave and was left soaked, steaming, and confused. This time around, it’s as if the Sun’s rays are beating down on Neptune, drying up all the water, all the illusion, and cutting through the fog with a strong burst of sunlight.
It feels like we are coming around full circle about something like we’ve figured something out that we were feeling confused and unsure about, and those feelings may have started during the summer months, and now we can define what it has all been about.
I hope this weekly overview is helpful!
The Tarot Spread
Let’s move on to a 3-card spread for the week representing You, Your Path, and Your Potential.
The first card representing You is:
8 of Swords
On this card, we see a warrior trying to break through a brick wall with his sword. Three swords lay broken at the foot of the wall, and four more swords lay in a neat row behind the warrior, ready to be used once the current one inevitably breaks. Two crows watch and caw from the safety of a branch. In the traditional Rider-Waite tarot, this card shows a woman, whose hands and legs are bound. She is blindfolded and has eight swords standing behind her. She feels trapped, yet there is an opening and castle in the distance, if only she could remove the blindfold, she would see the way out.
On this card, I think it is interesting that the way out is not obvious, so the person on this card is prepared to continue to do the only thing they feel they can do, which is to try to break through the brick wall with their swords and they will keep trying the same technique until all their swords are broken and they are exhausted.
In the upright position, this card means that you feel like you are a prisoner in some way—trapped and without motivation to make a change. This card could suggest a lack of confidence or an introverted personality. It could also suggest that there is a major fear of failure and thus you feel unable to proceed forward.
As the card representing You, I feel that this card symbolizes that in some capacity you may feel stuck, bound, or powerless. You may feel like there is only one thing you are able to do about the situation and so your only recourse is to hope and pray for a miracle that one of your attempts will work!
But, the only way out, is by using your head! This card shows that you need to look within your mind and find the strength to pull yourself out of this mess.
Swords have to do with thoughts and communication so it could be that you are trapping yourself with your self-talk or self-defeating thoughts.
Only intuition can tap into what the physical senses cannot see.
Would it be possible for the person on this card to hoist themselves over the wall with the help of the branch? Is that what the birds are trying to tell him?
What are your guides trying to tell you that you are completely ignoring? Maybe it’s time to stop, turn around, and take a good look at your situation with new eyes. Maybe the crows are saying, “Come up here with us and get a better view, so you can see the way out!”
The second card representing Your Path is:
8 of Discs
On this card, we see four women all working side-by-side on various material crafts, such as weaving, shaping pottery, and beading.
The 8 of Disks is about working and being prudent. Clearly, the women on this card are hard at work, deep in thought, and contemplating the next step in their various tasks.
This card symbolizes that where you are right now is in the flow of work—doing daily work and working towards a goal, a physical, material goal. It’s so perfect for the position that it occupies in this reading, “Your Path,” because clearly, it means that you are either on your path, working, or that the path you need to go on is through work.
Perhaps this week you are taking a short pause to assess which piece of yarn to weave next or which bead to add to the string, or whether or not your pottery needs more water or is ready for the kiln—whatever it is that you are contemplating, you are keeping the end goal in mind, the harvest, the finished product, and diligently and patiently working toward it.
And the third card representing Your Potential is:
2 of Discs
On this card, we see a woman holding two babies in two slings and nursing one while comforting the other—caring for them simultaneously—she is a young Mother of twins. Next to the woman are two film reels representing life going on and on. The reels are linked by a long two-headed snake that encircles the woman and her babies. She stands in a green meadow, her feet firmly planted on the ground, with four trees and a crescent moon in the background. The Moon is waxing and gaining in strength.
The 2 of Discs is about balancing your priorities just as this mother is doing with her babies and life continuing to move around her. She has many responsibilities and sometimes they conflict with each other but she is doing a good job right now—symbolized by the happy faces of her twins. This card represents a very busy time in your life and that you are doing a good job of juggling your responsibilities. It can indicate a time when you have more than one project going on or when you are balancing work on your inner psyche and also on success in your career or in the workplace.
As the card for Your Potential, I think it is a positive omen and means that you have the potential to juggle and manage many moving parts all at once. Resource management is essential with this card, so that means energy, time, physical resources, internal strength, stamina, etc…you need to make sure that you are managing all of your resources wisely so that you can keep up the very demanding tasks in your present moment.
I remember being a young mother and it can be extremely overwhelming all the things you need to do and care for and it is very easy to let your health, physical or mental, slip to the side—I would say that it is very important to take good care of yourself this week, especially since we are all going to be going through a Sun square Neptune—Self-Care is of high importance this week. So, eat, sleep, and move well—conserve your energy and strength as best you can and do what you need to do in between jobs, or while the babies are sleeping, to recharge your batteries.
So, to recap:
You may be feeling trapped for some reason and have thus far been trying the same method to free yourself, but your spirit guides are trying to tell you there are more solutions to your problem.
Your path is through physical work, apprenticeship, working on your skills, etc…You are either diligently working toward your goals or this card is showing you that the way through is by working on them.
Your potential is the ability to handle it all—the 2 of Disks is reminding you that you are incredibly capable of doing the work that is required of you—like the young mother on that card, she has the ability to nurse and care for her twins, but it doesn’t mean it will be easy or without sacrifice. It will take patience, lots of hard work, and perseverance, but you can do it!!
In conclusion for the weekly forecast…
I would like to end by pulling a Soul Card for the week to meditate on. A new moon, Mercury stationing retrograde, and the Sun in square to Neptune are a lot of transitions this week…let’s see what comes up…
I would love to hear your thoughts and reflections about this card and the Weekly Forecast. I wish you all a wonderful week!
I hope this is helpful!
Until tomorrow,
AstroMommy
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Today’s card was pulled from The Motherpeace Round Tarot and Book Set
also available in a mini size:
and Soul Cards I by Deborah Koff-Chapin
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Chris-Anne. “Eight of Wands” The Light Seer’s Tarot Guidebook, Hay House, Inc, New York, NY, 2019, pp. 78-79.