Cultivating True Connection & Intimacy – Dec 2023

 As Above, So Below: A monthly guide to consciously align your focus so you can flow with the changing energies of the planets’

Key themes at a glance this month: intensity around issues of the heart, heightened sensitivity and connection to your divine aspect, increased emotional and psychic sensitivity, transformation within relationships, pleasure, generosity and optimism, sharing your vulnerable side, connecting to your divine self, inward communication as mercury goes retrograde, reviewing details thoroughly and patience in communication, incorporating your spiritual practices into the everyday, finding peace and compassion, sharing small acts of kindness, considering where you are giving from when giving to others

Key Dates to note:

New moon in Sagittarius 13^th Dec 10:32am (AEDT)

First Quarter Moon in Pisces 20^th Dec at 5:39am (AEDT)

Full Moon in Cancer 27^th Dec  at 11:33am (AEDT)

Third Quarter Moon in Libra 4^th Jan at 2:30pm (AEDT)

After November’s lunar eclipse energies, you will still most likely be feeling the powerful integration of emotions for the next few months and the desire for letting go of the old.

The first days of December saw Venus the planet of relationship, love, values and pleasure make a square with Pluto. During this time you may have noticed some intensity around issues of the heart, passion and relationships, and potential challenges around the shadow aspects of relating-jealousy, possessiveness or power themes, and questions around finances and money.

Saturn is still in Pisces which echoes the connection theme where we are asked collectively moving away from the sense of going it alone, disconnection towards greater sense of connection with one another.

The first half of December sees an opportunity to increase your psychic sensitivity with a sextile between Neptune and Pluto.

Neptune stationing -first week of Dec
When a planet is stationing it appears to stand still, with Neptune stationing you may feel a bit confused and fuzzy or overwhelmed during this time. Neptune is the watery planet that rules Pisces so you may find yourself feeling emotionally sensitive during this time and wanting to avoid things or distract yourself from your emotions.

The week around this time is a good time to find someone you trust to connect with and share your vulnerable side, your emotions and your dreams for the future.

This is also a time for heightened intuitive dreamwork, creativity, art, unconditional sense of compassion, dreaming for more connection to our divine aspect. This will assist you to utilise this energy steering you away from the lower aspects of overwhelm. You may feel the effects of this over the next week or so.

Mercury in Capricorn during this time urges you to be honest and real with what you share with others so you can have true intimacy and connection (sextile Venus) about what really matters to you so you can speak your truth and have a heartfelt connection.

Jupiter (in Taurus) opposite Venus (in Scorpio) 8^th Dec until 13^th Dec. Jupiter makes an opposition with Venus-during this time you may feel the pull and potential excesses of all senses with Jupiter opposite Venus whispering sweet nothings of indulgence and yearnings for all types of earthly pleasures in your ear. This can be an ideal time to bring transformation within your relationships.

You may also feel optimistic and generous around money during this time. This can be harmonious transit if you keep yourself in check and don’t overindulge in those Venusian pleasures too much!

Making time for connection with others and delving into nature-great walks in beautiful surroundings or swimming in the ocean can be a way to connect to this energy.

Mercury is going retrograde Tues (3 weeks until 2^nd Jan)
This is the transit everyone loves to hide behind when technology and communication goes wrong. Mercury goes into retrograde Tues 12^th Dec over the holiday period. Some handy tips during this time:

• Leave yourself plenty of time to get to your destination if you are travelling during the holiday break
• Mercury can bring confusion, misunderstand and communication challenges so take serious consideration if you decide to get into a lengthy discussion or political chats over dinner and a wine
• Boost yourself with a big dose of patience and keep in the back of your mind that some things aren’t worth the energy of having to repeat over and over and still not be understood. Sometimes it’s good to just laugh it off and forget about it!
• Planning well in advance will assist you, making sure you leave extra time for transport and are open to flexibility if things change
• Connecting inwards by journal or diary writing, channelling intuitive guidance
• Staying away from signing any major deals or agreement during this time as often there’s details that may be overlooked during this transit
• If you cannot wait the extra few weeks and need to enter an agreement take extra time to review the details thoroughly to make sure everything has been covered
• Make sure that auto save feature is activated when you’re doing computer work and it’s always good practice to back up your computer during this time for peace of mind

The Sagittarius New moon on 13^th Dec brings with it a very spiritual nature this month, and encourages you to really incorporate your spiritual practices into the everyday– be it through meditation, being in nature, mindfulness, breathwork or whatever you are drawn to find your stillness and remember your divine self. You also may be drawn to exploring more meaning making activities or teachings during this time.

The new moon is also square to Neptune encouraging us to raise your personal frequency and to set an intention as to where we would like to grow our energy through our focus and finding peace and compassion and sharing small acts of kindness that you can help the community around you. Mercury is also forming a free-flowing energy of the trine with Jupiter during the full moon lending an air of optimism to your seed setting this month.

The Full moon in Cancer this month (27^th Dec) sees even more of a water influence with the Moon also being square Neptune (in Pisces), and the harmonious trine with Saturn at the same time.

It’s a great time to put some clear boundaries in place with how much you give out emotionally, and an opportunity to consider when giving to others that it is from a place of nourishment and nurturing after you have taken care of your own needs so have an excess of energy to give, rather than giving through obligation.

During this full moon the Sun is also quincunx Jupiter which may see you feeling more energised and pressure to expand yourself through a level of friction or tension. This level of creative tension can be helpful to identify what is important to you in your life so you can take active steps towards pursuing your goals.

As we wrap up what was a very intense calendar year astrologically, this is the time to prepare the groundwork for change that will come about when Pluto re-enters Aquarius on 20^th January for a whole new cycle. Cultivating true connection and intimacy and incorporating spiritual practices into the everyday are key themes this month and extending out compassion into the community.

As the calendar ticks over into January, finding and establishing community and cultivating and gathering with like-minded souls will be an important key to assist in balancing bright shiny object syndrome bursting forth from new technological developments on the horizon.