Winter is officially here! It’s time to chill out, warm up and snuggle in with family & loved ones! You’ll want to slow down, regroup and get back to the basics. The Sun’s entrance into CAPRICORN on December 21 always marks the beginning of the new season, the Winter Solstice and the shortest day of the year. From here on, we’ll be getting more daylight hours, as the Sun appears to reverse directions and head north. Since the beginnings of civilization, this ”return of the light” has been a time for celebrating the sacred, as well as the secular. Spiritual, religious & community traditions, ancestral customs and familial ties are now being revived and renewed .
During the past expansive SAGITTARIUS month, we stretched out our pocketbooks & our waistlines — now we need to tighten our belts and conserve our energy & resources. It’s cold out there! With the Sun, Mercury, Venus & Pluto all together in CAPRICORN as this solar month begins, the emphasis is on restructuring, stabilizing and paring things down to the essentials. Take care of business, deal with practical matters, assess your personal & joint resources, be reasonable in expenditures, look for bargains and recycle outworn possessions. Avoid the temptation to load up your credit cards! 
A cardinal, earth sign, CAPRICORN is associated with structure, form, societal traditions, the status quo, government, rules & regulations, contracts, business matters, insurance, death & taxes. The emphasis this month is on discipline, integrity, accountability, responsibility, parental & financial obligations, long-term commitments and reality (although in the current political climate, there are radically different opinions as to what reality is). Once the New Year is underway, the influence of this practical, disciplined sign will nudge (or guilt trip) us along into establishing priorities, cementing intentions and creating greater stability & safety in our personal universe. Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground!
With Saturn, ruler of CAPRICORN, currently in unpredictable AQUARIUS, we could experience changes, breakthroughs,
surprises, confrontations, break-ups, interruptions or computer bugs as this month unfolds. So many of our routines & rituals have been disrupted this year due to the pandemic. Life isn’t going on as normal, especially this holiday season! Take advantage of this edgy, topsy-turvy energy and utilize it to emancipate yourself from limiting habits & routines, as well as outgrown relationships and thinking patterns.
Adding to the tensions & turbulence of the last-minute Christmas rush, Saturn (in AQUARIUS) squares off with Uranus (in TAURUS) on December 23. This is the third time this edgy Saturn-Uranus square (
) has been exact since the beginning of 2021, expressing itself as the clash between autocracy vs. democracy, Republican vs. Democrat, conservative vs. liberal, the past vs. the future. This aspect—and controversial issues—will continue on throughout 2022, so on a personal level, it challenges you to change your status quo and do things differently. Focus on the present moment instead of the past — let go of expectations and be here now. By addressing your internal contradictions, the external world will no longer have such a strong impact on you!
The transformative Venus-Pluto conjunction (in CAPRICORN) on Christmas Day could stimulate some dynamic and potentially long-lasting social connections, as well as bring together old friends & family in a creative, joyful mix. MERRY CHRISTMAS! The sensitive Mercury-Neptune sextile on the following day (also Kwanzaa and Boxing Day) would be a great time to catch up with your sleep, take in a movie or attend an uplifting musical event. Cuddle up with your beloved furry friends or volunteer your time to help someone in need!
On the evening of December 28, Jupiter leaves unconventional AQUARIUS and enters compassionate PISCES (until May 10 ’22). However—before it finishes up its year’s transit of AQUARIUS, it will say goodbye in some unpredictable form or another. Considering that the explosive Mars-Uranus inconjunct peaks on the same day, technology challenges may arise. Be prepared for possible lightning storms, power outages or computer glitches; handle electricity & machinery with care! 
With Jupiter now in PISCES, we will be hearing a lot about health care, exercise, sleep and spirituality. There will be increased interest in yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, meditation & psychic development, along with greater concern and compassion for minorities, immigrants, animals and those with physical disabilities, mental health issues and addictions. There will be a major focus on drugs, pharmaceuticals & vaccinations—globally as well as locally. Music venues will come back to life, along with the desire to sing, dance, write poetry and develop a deeper mystical dimension It’s time for a spiritual uplift!
Join with friends to celebrate the end of 2021 on December 29-30 as Mercury conjuncts both Venus & Pluto; rich emotional & social interactions can be initiated at this time! The productive Mars-Saturn sextile on the 30th could inspire you to set some long-term commitments into action. With the Moon in exuberant SAGITTARIUS on New Year’s Eve, a jovial energy will usher us into 2022 with much hope & enthusiasm for a better year ahead!
Auspiciously, New Year 2022 will be initiated with the innovative Sun-Uranus trine — electricity is in the air! And late on January 1, Mercury enters progressive AQUARIUS, leaving the CAPRICORN pack behind and stirring up some enlightening & offbeat ideas. It’s time to think outside the box and step into the future! You may want to explore some new technologies, apps or software to make your life more interesting and efficient. Change is inevitable!
The New Moon in CAPRICORN on January 2 at 10:33 am PST will nudge you to make a realistic review and reassessment of this past year—and set clear intentions for what you want in the future. Your powers of manifestation are especially strong now! Visualize the outcomes you want and initiate the necessary steps to make them real. 
The challenge now is to re-establish normal routines, shed those extra pounds and make a reality check of your current lifestyle. Change out your calendar & appointment book, clear out the old files and make way for the new year ahead. Patience, self-discipline & conscientious actions now will bring long-term rewards in the near future. Turn your inner mountain goat loose to scale the heights — the force is with you!
Keep an eye on a tendency to over-reach, run off in all directions or be careless with your boundaries as the Jupiter-North Node square builds to a peak on January 3. Rein in your scattered energies and take special precautions to stay safe & healthy. Scandals or secrets could be exposed to daylight, perhaps involving education, sports, health policy, media or religion. Don’t make mountains out of molehills!
A kind, compassionate energy will arise on January 5 with the healing Venus-Neptune sextile. Treat yourself to a mental health day, get a massage or foot reflexology treatment, meditate, enjoy some music or have a good soak in the tub with essential oils. With the Moon in PISCES and conjunct Jupiter that evening, you’re ready for a physical & spiritual uplift!
Your life could be enhanced by joining up with those of like-mind on Sunday, the 8th; the sweet Sun-Venus conjunction could inspire a harmonious & loving day of social interactivity. You may experience a heightened psychic sensitivity with the Sun-Neptune sextile on January 10; pay attention to your dreams — they could reveal some significant insights. Don’t get carried away by your fantasies, however, as January 11 rolls around; the spacey Mars-Neptune square could bring about a major distraction or escape from reality. Channel your imagination in healthy ways!
Mercury turns retrograde in CAPRICORN on January 14 (through February 3); as always, it’s time to go back over things, edit, review and repair. Avoid signing contracts, starting up a new project or business — or buying a vehicle, computer or electronic equipment. Instead, do your research, think things through and wait for Mercury to turn direct (from February 4 on).
A potent creative urge emerges with the volatile Sun-Pluto conjunction on January 16. While you may feel impatient to get things going, take into consideration that Mercury is retrograde and it’s not yet the time to get something off the ground. Allow the inspiration to gel during the next few weeks — put the plans to paper, analyze costs and set a reasonable timeline.
The Full Moon in CAPRICORN/CANCER—on January 17 at 3:48 pm PST—could bring things to an emotional boil concerning financial matters, survival issues, personal & parental responsibilities, government programs, rules & regulations. Find a balance between meeting your personal needs — and meeting those of others; nurture yourself, as well as your loved ones!
On January 18, the North Lunar Node begins its new 18-month cycle in TAURUS (after being in GEMINI since May 4, 2020). The restless and fragmented energies that we’ve been undergoing over the past twenty months will begin to settle down. The domestic scene will take on increased importance, with an emphasis on comfort, safety and security. Family concerns will take top priority. You may have a strong urge to build, remodel, redecorate & refurnish, landscape, put in a garden, buy property or make a serious move. The Sun-North Node trine, on January 19, could provide a clue of what’s to come. . .
As this CAPRICORN month draws to a close, Uranus turns direct in TAURUS—also on the 18th—after being in retrograde since August 19, ’21). By now, hopefully we’ve paid our dues and are now ready for life to move forward. A renewed feeling of freedom & independence will emerge once the Sun enters AQUARIUS on January 19. Meanwhile, utilize the energy of this CAPRICORN month to get grounded, deal with the realities of life and take care of business. Make peace with the uncertainty and explore ways to bring positive, permanent change to your life.
Wishing you & yours a loving Solstice, Christmas or Kwanzaa — and a positive, hopeful start to 2022. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
PS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY & SOLAR RETURN to my solid, trustworthy CAPRICORN friends!
©2021 Diane Elizabeth Clarke