I know I’ve written this before, but now I really, really mean it: We’re in a time of major shifts, and it’s hard to keep our bearings when the ground isn’t steady under our feet.

This can be nerve-wracking or it can be exciting, depending on your point of view. Maybe both at the same time. I concede that, as a fixed-sign person, changes are harder for me to adjust to, and that tends to color my take on what’s happening in the sky. But humans in general don’t like change, even positive changes that we know we need. And all growth requires change.

I see this week as an incubation period. Now that Uranus is direct, all the planets and even the major asteroids are direct until Mars turns retrograde on December 20. We have a short window in which we can advance by light years. That applies to personal development, relationships, career moves, domestic circumstances, and specific projects we may be working on.

On Monday, Jupiter conjoins Chiron for the third and last time, and we also are approaching the final conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune (exact on December 21), not to be repeated for another 13 years. There is a real opportunity for deep healing of old wounds, especially those that are imprinted in our energy field. This is a subtle business, though, so you will have to be very observant and pay attention to understand how this particular aspect is manifesting. If you’ve been working on your own healing for the past year, you’ll see results in the next two weeks. Finally, you can look and see how far you’ve come.

If you need help playing detective and getting to the root of matters, Monday’s Mercury-Pluto conjunction will go a long way toward increasing your understanding. What comes up may not be comfortable, but it will be the truth. We can’t solve problems if we don’t understand what’s causing them.

Because this conjunction is in Capricorn, it also should help with financial issues. Watch for news about scandals involving money. Since Mercury also squares Saturn on the same day, news stories may involve government regulation and industry efforts to avoid having to meet stricter codes. Personally, we may find that the way to resolve issues that come up this week is belt-tightening or some other form of self-discipline.

As I mentioned in last week’s forecast, Mercury is slowing down in preparation to turn retrograde later this month. That means that all aspects this week involving Mercury will have more impact than they normally would. The Messenger enters his pre-retrograde shadow period on Thursday, so start wrapping up all your shopping and mailing. It would be best not to purchase any expensive items or electronic devices after this date.

Fortunately, the Sun is still in fun-loving Sagittarius, and on Thursday, it trines Mars in Leo, another party sign. Early season holiday parties will be lively. If you’re planning one, include lots of music and a place to dance, as well as strings of colorful holiday lights.

Do take advantage of this chance to have a good time, because Mercury and Mars retrograde are going to take their toll this holiday season, in ways that you may not be able to foresee right now. The healing work we do this week will be much more effective, too, if we laugh and have fun.

Wishing you all much love, joy and laughter,
Pat