Full Moon in Cancer

This is on the 22nd December at 5:48 pm GMT.

It's the day after the winter solstice: the turning-point between light and dark. And it looks like an emotional turning-point as well.

Cancer has to do with our family, roots, home, emotions and whatever we turn to for emotional sustenance.  At a full moon in Cancer, the sun is in Capricorn, sign of rules, authority and outward achievement. So there is always a tension between rules and feelings, outer vs. inner life, work vs. family, head vs. heart. It's fitting that this should happen around the time of the holidays, when we're (often uncomfortably) thrown together with our families, and subject to family rules and traditions.

The family stuff should be especially tense this year, as the sun and moon are squaring Chiron, which is about a deep sense of woundedness. We also have Mercury conjunct Jupiter in Sagittarius, an influence that can lead to tactless blurting of painful truths. And Mercury and Jupiter are squaring Neptune, which means communication may be unclear, deceptive or manipulative. Beware of pity plays and “poor me” stories: sometimes the person claiming victimhood may actually be the abuser. That sort of tactic is very likely at this time. Beware also of drink and drugs, which can really escalate conflict and confusion. It's a good holiday season to stay off the sauce, if you want family interactions to be less fraught. This could be a very wounding and painful time.

Helpfully though, the full moon beneficially aspects Uranus, meaning a departure from established rules and traditions is favoured. It's OK to do something radically different and change the script – you can focus on what you want to do rather than what you think you have to do. And you can change your definition of “family” - it doesn't have to be only people you're biologically related to. It doesn't even have to be people.

We have a somber new moon in Capricorn on the 6th January, just as Uranus stations direct. It looks like a bit of a punch to the gut – harsh realities are setting in. There is still plenty of love and joy on offer though. Happy holidays to you and your family, whatever form it may take.

New Moon in Sagittarius

This is tomorrow, the 7th December, at about 7.20 am GMT.

It ushers in the holiday season. Sagittarius is a fun, enthusiastic, outward-looking sign. It's ruled by Jupiter, the gas-giant guru of the solar system, who embiggens everything he touches.  Jupiter has just moved into his home sign, so there'll be a heavy emphasis on Sagittarian themes this year: travel, higher education, philosophy and religion, anything that broadens your perspective and fires up your enthusiasm.

So Jupiter in Sagittarius is pretty damn fantastic overall. It's a multinational party vibe (with Shammi Kapoor as Jupiter).

But it can be too much of a good thing. There is a big propensity to go overboard, to leap before you look and get yourself into trouble. It's something to watch out for at this new moon, which is about an exciting, idealistic new beginning which may be completely delusional. Big dreams, but big blind spots as well.

The sun, moon and Jupiter are conjunct in Sagittarius, and that's all very buoyant and fun and enthusiastic. But they're being hit by a square from Mars and Neptune in Pisces, exactly conjunct at the time of this new moon. This is the delusion part. Mars in Pisces can be slippery, underhanded, manipulative, passive-aggressive – a false guru, or lying, cheating, drunk dude who passes himself off as a victim. Conjunct Neptune, the effect is magnified.

It's likely people will be using deception and emotional manipulation to get what they want. Be careful who and what you put your faith in, and hold onto your discernment. People are not always what they seem to be.

Be aware also of your own capacity for self-deception. And as always with Neptune and Pisces, beware of boundary dissolving substances: drink, drugs, religion, fairy-tale romance. You want your bullshit detector to be functioning and unclouded, because there's going to be a lot of bullshit flying around this month.

Mercury is direct again as of the 6th December, and he's in the probing, no bullshit sign of Scorpio, which should help you to see through the smokescreen. He's also part of a grand water trine involving the north node in Cancer and Chiron in Pisces.  Chiron, the wounded healer asteroid, will station direct on the 8th December - so the new moon is bookended by Mercury and Chiron both stationing direct.

It's very significant that they end their retrogrades in exact aspect to each other and as part of this beautiful grand water trine, which is about deep insight into old emotional wounds, especially ones involving family and upbringing. It's cathartic and healing, and I think it's nice to have this as we head into a month that is all about dealing with your crazy family.

It's also nice that we have a bunch of slower-moving planets in the signs they rule: Jupiter in Sagittarius, Saturn in Capricorn, and Neptune in Pisces. This is not a common situation. It should help us to feel more stable and grounded in ourselves.

So however much bullshit you encounter, there's a lot of deep solidity and realism to draw upon as well. The trick is knowing which is which. I think you'll know the false because it will be cloaked in overblown emotion and appeals to sentimentality. The truth will be quieter and darker, but you'll know it in your bones.

We'll have a full moon in Cancer on the 22nd December, just at the winter solstice. It doesn't look terrible, but it doesn't look stress-free either. But when are the holidays ever stress-free? If you stay off the sauce and away from political discussions, it might just be fun. I'll write more about it closer to the time.