The Wheel of Light
Monthly Newsletter - December 2018
The rancorous midterm elections are over. They reflected the turbulence that is pervading the human condition as well as the political, economic and philosophical divides that are facing this country and the world. As the year draws to a close, this is a good time to review the past 12 months so that we may notice how we responded to the rolling challenges that this year brought.
My January column will explore some of the major patterns for 2019, as well as highlighting specific transits for that month. For a longer and more in depth discussion of the New Year, I will be giving my annual Perspectives talk on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 7 PM at the Luther Burbank Center. The fee is $15 and payable at the door. For those who can't attend, they can purchase an MP3 of the talk for $15 or a two CD set of the talk for $20. You can mail payment to me at POBox 807, Forestville, CA 95436.
There was a series of transits that began with Mars turning retrograde from late June to late August. Venus was retrograde from early October to mid November, followed immediately by the third Mercury retrograde of the year from mid November until early December. There was also a series of eclipses, two in July and one in August that also helped create a summer and fall of bumps. slips and other assorted unexpected circumstances that minimized any sense of continuity either at the personal or collective level. For example, the hurricanes that hit the East Coast of the United States occurred during this period.
The Mars retrograde was a time to review our activities and to do research for the future. Low levels of physical energy minimized both our drive as well as competitive energies. It was a time to lay low, eliminate or fix problems from both past and present, and prepare for new beginnings. The question is, did we take advantage of that transit? If so, we should be well on our way to creating new projects, engaging in new activities and feeling more productive in our lives.
Venus retrograde was a time to check in on our social behaviors, relationship needs, financial issues and aesthetics. Often, during this transit we can focus too much on other people, their flaws and ways they frustrate us. Those issues may be real, and Venus retrograde is a good time to begin to address them. But the relationship is also a mirror of who we are what we bring to the relationship. If we took the time to update our needs, communicate them clearly and realize the degree to which fulfillment of those needs are realistic within the context of that relationship, there should be more harmony and satisfaction now. Many of the conversations that began during the retrograde period may be ongoing. That openness to each other and the potential to change patterns to make the experience more enjoyable for all is a result of doing this work.
Another transit that proved important this year is Uranus retrograding back into Aries on Election Day. Uranus, the energy of extreme change, and Aries, a sign that prioritizes freedom, combined to bring a significant change in the composition of our government, both local and federal. Uranus challenges the status quo and can reflect changes that are unique and unprecedented. Not only did it flip the House of Representatives to the Democratic Party, it also brought previously unheard of challenges to the outcome of races in Florida, Georgia and Arizona. I think of Uranus as the energy of democracy itself. It was discovered in the mid-Eighteenth Century, when revolution was occurring both in politics and industry. It is also the energy of experimentation. In a sense, Democracy itself is an experiment. We are collectively still trying to figure out how live with a government that is of, by and for the people. One thing we've already discovered, and that the recent election confirmed, is that even though Uranus represents the eccentric and the extreme, when politics in this country gets too extreme, the pendulum starts swinging back in the opposite direction. That is something that the election brought back into perspective.
One of the main energy patterns that didn't really play out this year pertains to Saturn and Pluto being in Capricorn. The assumption was that this combination would bring a new sense of accountability, a karmic reckoning, to the leadership of nations throughout the world. So far, this has not happened. It will, however, be one of the topics I will address in my Perspective talk in January and one that I think will begin to manifest next year.
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Aries: Confusion in early month could lead to impulsive actions and bad decisions. This is a time to focus inward. Take stock of the past year and create strategies that will lead to effective and productive activities in the New Year. Late month can bring opportunities for some do-overs.
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Taurus: This month tests your work during the Venus retrograde period. If you paid attention then, your relationships can start moving in new, dynamic directions. Along with a sense of enduring commitment you could also feel deepening and devotional love flowing to your partner.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Gemini: This is a good time to open your mind to new ideas as well as new perspectives about familiar ones. Sharing with a partner can lead to new understandings about each other as well as a sense of expanding possibilities in the relationship itself.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Cancer: The full Moon in Cancer on the 22nd can help you focus inward. You can use this as a time to do some significant work on your core self, clarifying your emotional, psychological and spiritual self. By extension, you can use this as a platform to some significant spiritual awakening, since the full Moon is one day after the Winter Solstice.
Leo (July 23-August 23)
Leo: Early month could bring challenges in primary relationship. Certain blind spots you may have about your partner could lead words or actions on your part that prove hurtful. This is a time to stay open, listen to what others are saying and be willing to alter your assumptions about who they are and the best ways of relating to them.
Virgo (August 24-Sept 22)
Virgo: This is a good time to focus on home and family. Entertaining and having people over is fun and rewarding. Similarly, you could open your home to others as a way of celebrating the spirituality of the season. There are lots of new ideas and perspectives potential for you to experience and appreciate this month.
Libra (Sept 23-Oct 23)
Libra: Spend the last weeks of the year focusing on financial issues and plans for the New Year. Your assets should be used to support and stabilize your values as well as your material needs. You may find new awareness of inherent tools and resources that will help you to create more fulfillment and quality of life.
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
Scorpio: Use this as a time to transform your social and creative activities. Socially, this is a good time to deepen the emotional content, facilitating more intimacy. Creatively you could feel adventurous, taking risks that promote a whole sense of your artistic capabilities as well deriving a renewed enjoyment of the process.
Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 21)
Sagittarius: The recent transit of Jupiter into Sagittarius can bring optimism for the New Year, joyfulness in your blessings and generosity during the Holiday Season. The potential downside of any of that is being too idealistic or overly enthusiastic leading to feelings of disappointment or a sense of being drained. Striving for balance is the key to enjoying both the transit and the season.
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 20)
Capricorn: Saturn will have been in Capricorn for one year on the Solstice. This is a transit that promotes ambition and productivity. It can also lead to being overly responsible or overly controlling. Saturn demands accountability and being conscientious in our choices and actions. The more aware we are of what we're doing, as well as how and why, the more rewarding will be the results.
Aquarius (Jan 21 to Feb 19)
Aquarius: Harmonious, enjoyable social activities should be part of your holiday season. You could feel like taking some initiative to create gatherings, with an interesting variety of people joining you. Alternatively, you may feel like spending some time alone. Growth can come from striving for both free time as well as social interaction.
Pisces (Feb 20-March 20)
Pisces: The artistic, creative part of your nature is very strong this month. Nature itself may also prove a vehicle for both creative and spiritual inspiration. Using your intuition around mid-month can help prevent mistakes that are caused by faulty perspective or judgment. This is a period when cultivating your alone time can lead to feelings of renewal and joy heading into the New Year.
Rio Olesky has been a professional astrologer since 1976. He is the author of A Manual for the Modern Mystic and Astrology and Consciousness and The Astroreader. He offers both private readings as well as classes for both beginning and intermediate students. Call Rio at 707-887-1820. Check out his website: www.starwatcher.com.