DECEMBER'S FOUR MAJOR Moon phases transmit perception, cooperation, expansion, and action to our consciousness. The first three phases express flexible mutable energy that we can utilize to release autumn ventures and prepare the ground for winter development. And, at the fourth phase, in dynamic cardinal energy, we receive motivation to initiate winter projects. The December Full Moon is the highest in the sky it will be until 2024. And, for a second straight time, solar and lunar rhythms link, merge, and are magnified at a seasonal change, when the New Moon closely aligns with the Winter Solstice.

FULL MOON
December's Full Moon, on the 4th at 5:26pm MST in Gemini, reveals validation of social standing issues. Situations are likely to require that we prove our skills in the real world, where we can create something, rather than just knowing we have ability or relying on other's assessment of how wonderful we are. We may find we are reminded that our performance ought to spring from the love of what we are doing. And, true rewards will spring from being well rehearsed and prepared to share our talent with others. We cannot rely on past success or allow our need for applause and acclaim to validate our existence.

Home & Garden - The December Full Moon is known as the Cold and the Snow Moon in Traditional and Cherokee cultures, when retreating inside for protection from the elements was a priority. If our climate allows, crops with the edible part growing below ground and trees can be planted now. Pruning in this phase helps to slow limb and branch growth and produces a better yield for tree crops. And, just after the Full Moon, grains can be harvested.

Mind, Body & Health – The Full Moon is an effective time to open the gates of our mind to illumination. And, we can be on the lookout for significant new understandings.

Business & Finance – This phase begins the waning half of the Moon's cycle. And, we can stretch our budget by getting our hair cut now, when it is reputed to grow back slower.

MOON IN GEMINI
The most mutable of the mutable signs, Gemini extends through communication and knows we are all connected by the air we breathe. Its symbol is two beings bound together and intent on unraveling the other's mystery, yet separated by an impenetrable wall of misunderstanding. The Gemini Moon's light side illuminates our versatility, charm, and liveliness; and, its dark side can leave us more disorganized, inconsistent, superficial, and manipulative.

The Gemini Moon's spiritual tradition offers the human voice as a means of expression for others, and to the understanding of interrelatedness. Its task is to maintain a garrulous intimacy with the mundane.

Home & Garden – We can channel lively Gemini Moon energy into organizing our home office space, paying bills, and catching up on correspondence. The Gemini Moon's semi-barren and dry nature supports harvesting root crops and fruit for seed and storage; weeding, clearing, garden maintenance, soil cultivation, mowing, and pest control.

Mind, Body & Health – We can work with Gemini Moon energy, which is connected to our thoughts, on themes of communication, connection, and social relations. We might focus on re-centering ourselves and being more mindful of what we say, especially if we have been overly critical and negative with our words. In this sign of the messenger, we may consider what our essential and divine message in life is and seek to cultivate that message to its utmost. During the Gemini Moon we can utilize breath work in the form of meditation, tai chi, and yoga to draw in good oxygen to vitalize our entire system and strengthen our nerves. We can develop our verbal skills; allow our Mercurial side expression; and, diffuse nervous tension by writing in a journal, chanting, and writing and reciting poetry under this Moon's influence. And, we might visit the soothing quiet of a library, put our feet up, and/or go for a drive to unwind. We must avoid as much as possible being too easily distracted and beginning one job before finishing another at this time. Our vulnerability to nervous tension, nervous exhaustion, agitation, and restlessness increases under a Gemini Moon.

Business & Finance – The Gemini Moon is a fortuitous time to make business trips, reorganize/refurbish, and give presentations. A good time for window shopping and flitting from store to store; however, if we choose to buy, communication tools - computers, telephones, books, writing materials, dictionaries - toys, gimmicky goods, gadgets, and a car are recommended. We benefit if we are able to avoid a shallow appreciation of the situation; being underhand; and, long or far-flung shopping expeditions. Finally, we must beware of conmen.

THIRD (LAST) QUARTER MOON
The Third Quarter Moon on December 12th at 7:33am MST in Virgo is likely to unearth our desire to seek new territory. We will have other like-minded companions as we follow our impulses to pursue new thoughts, new ways of doing things, and a new way of life. This may reduce our anxiety about setting out on a new venture; and, can increase our sense of fun and decrease our aversion to risk. As we embark, it will be helpful if we have an internal map of where we are going and a willingness to meet new people.

Home & Garden – This phase can assist us to determine what has served its purpose in our lives as we clear the stale energy of clutter from our house. This is the best stage in the lunar cycle for garden clean up; weeds pulled during this quarter rarely grow back. And, if we dig root crops for seed in the Moon's third quarter, they keep longer.

Mind, Body & Health – This period of waning energy is one of rest and release. It is a reflective, letting go type of Moon that is well suited to contemplation and meditation, which can create deeper wisdom and transcendence.

Business & Finance – The Third Quarter is a time to view what has worked and not in the last lunar cycle (month) and to gather energy and focus for the next month beginning at the New Moon. It is excellent for analyzing and planning.

MOON IN VIRGO
Virgo seeks perfection; expresses the self through service; and, serves the principle of service. Its gift is our hunger for personal transformation. The Moon in Virgo's bright side is intellectual, meticulous, industrious, and responsible; whereas, its shadow side is critical, high-strung, argumentative, and standoffish.

The Virgo Moon's spiritual tradition encompasses all diagnostic and healing arts. Its task is to create altars that serve as microcosms to larger macrocosms, to which it is in service.

Home & Garden – We can honour the Virgo Moon's inclination towards neatness by cleaning the medicine cabinet; sorting out our wardrobe; and, tackling kitchen and bathroom cleaning chores. The Virgo Moon's barren and moist nature supports our efforts to prune, destroy weeds and pests, and cultivate soil.

Mind, Body & Health – Most associated with health, the Virgo Moon is a good time for cleansing and purifying. It can help us to release negative habits and replace them with healthier, more nourishing ones. If we have been feeling overwhelmed and impatient, we can focus on becoming more mindful and peaceful in our daily rhythm. And, since anxiety and worries can cause discomfort and disease in our intestines, exploring the deeper issues and releasing mental struggles will cultivate wellness. As will ensuring we are not harming our creativity and confidence by indulging excessive self-criticism. We can promote wellbeing as we review our daily routine and cut out bad habits; however, fussing over detail; and being over-critical can undermine our health. In addition, we are more susceptible to irritability and gastric or dietary upsets during a Virgo Moon.

Business & Finance – The Virgo Moon is an advantageous time to reorganize, to present detailed accounts, and for practical demonstrations. It is a useful time to restock our medicine cabinet, and purchase: toiletries, vitamin supplements, organic food, cleaning materials, personal organizers, and a local health club subscription. This is considered the optimal sign in which to look into health insurance. We ought to avoid missing the overall picture, making judgmental errors, and anything that is not practical. And we must beware people's fussiness.

NEW MOON
The New Moon on December 20th at 7:02am MST in Sagittarius joins with the Winter Solstice, which signals the return of hope and light and is when we cast off our fears and constraints, to gather force for the coming season. It contains the solar impulse concerned with superficiality. As it begins to unfold, we can expect to experience pressure around where we are paying more attention to appearances than we are to the finer details or those things that others can't see. And, although many people can be fooled by appearances, there usually is an unsettling feeling that everything is not quite right. We may want to enlist the help of those around us to get those chores done we have been putting off and others have been asking us to do.

New Moon Visualizations:

Home & Garden – If moving house is on our agenda, December 20th to January 2nd is the optimal period this lunar cycle, and December 23rd & 24th are the best days in this phase. We can harvest grain intended for future use or seed during this quarter. And, this is a good time to repot houseplants and reorganize our garden.

Mind, Body & Health – We can invite spontaneity, adventure, and an exciting new view of ourselves on a New Moon.

Business & Finance – This phase is a time to incubate our ideas. And, we can sue for damages, interview people, hire staff, and/or publish favourable performance figures now.

MOON IN SAGITTARIUS
Sagittarius' nature is one of broad inquiry and fascination with cultural diversity. The Sagittarius part of us experiences life as a journey rather than a destination, seeking the Big Picture that enlightens and gives hope based on the interconnectedness of all life. As the ultimate optimist, it offers the knowledge that we are all part of a great unity, and within that unity, anything that is hurt can heal. The Moon in Sagittarius' higher expression reveals our optimism, exuberance, sincerity, and adventurousness; whereas it's lower expression leaves us more restless, extravagant, irresponsible, and careless.

The Sagittarius Moon's spiritual tradition uses travel and study to enrich the community's wealth of knowledge and intends the legal system to be the wise application of cosmic law. Its task is to found the schools, the libraries, the centres of philosophy and research.

Home & Garden – Engage Sagittarius Moon energy in creative household projects, such as sewing pillows. The Sagittarius Moon's semi-barren and dry nature favours soil cultivation and planting pungent vegetables and fruit.

Mind, Body & Health – The Sagittarius Moon can assist us to bring joy, creativity, and adventure into our life. We can work with it to draw luck and play back to us, if we have been feeling stuck, depressed, or too intense. And, its fiery nature can be beneficial for generating energy on many levels; warming the body and circulating the blood and chi as we extend ourselves to seek greater expansiveness and expression in our lives. We might drum, sing, and chant to stimulate the fire energy to activate and draw power from our roots and extend it outwards into creative endeavours like painting, writing, and acting, as well as toward developing sexual and charismatic energy. If we find ways to generate laughter, we can loosen up, relax our body, and strengthen our health. When we have been overdoing it, been overly expansive and indulgent, our liver can become stagnant, which can leave us frustrated, angry, and irritable. We can enhance our sense of wellbeing by enrolling at a college; contacting our friends abroad; riding a horse; and, setting off on our holidays/travels. And, we are well advised to avoid boredom, taking unnecessary risks, and over-indulgence. A stagnant liver and putting on weight are more likely under a Sagittarius Moon and it is an excellent time for us to focus our attention on the desire to heal or take action to restore health to these areas.

Business & Finance – Sagittarius Moon energy is superb for trading, promotions, correspondence, business meetings, legal matters, and lending or borrowing money. Terrific purchases now include: a holiday flight; presents for our in-laws; relics or religious items; anything secondhand; travel books; hiking boots; camping equipment; and, maps and atlases. We gain when we avoid financial irresponsibility, slap-dash work, and shopping in our own locality; and, we remain beware of people's carelessness.

FIRST QUARTER MOON
The First Quarter Moon occurring on December 27th at 7:49am MST in Aries offers us illuminated solutions. It reminds us to not become too concerned with one side of issues in the material world. When we feel boxed in, with no apparent way out; we can look around, with a more objective eye and apply simple, active solutions. It is vital that we remember there is a way out of our dilemmas and we must strive to not surrender to frustrations.

Home & Garden – December 29th & 30th are the best days to move house this quarter and, with January 2nd, are also most favourable for interior design projects that involve soft furnishings. The First Quarter phase is a period of accelerated growth when we can plant annual crops.

Mind, Body & Health – The First Quarter Moon invites us to observe what in our life is challenging us to take new action. And, we can make a commitment to our health by doing.

Business & Finance - This phase brings expansion and, as a result, projects we begin now will be supported and energized.

MOON IN ARIES
Fiery Aries represents the life force, the will to exist. It seeks existential courage through the selfishness of embracing life. And, it teaches that we have the right to seek whatever experiences we need to have, and, will allow nothing; not another person, not any circumstance, not our own fears, to stand between us and our growth. While the Moon is in Aries it illuminates our ability to be enterprising, optimistic, idealistic, and energetic; and, can unveil our impulsiveness, impatience, vanity, and domineering tendencies.

The Aries Moon's spiritual tradition reaches back into the past when people really understood the interrelatedness of all of life. It includes the lunar priestesses and priests, custodians of the energy of dynamic leadership.

Home & Garden – An Aries Moon is an excellent time to undertake DIY projects around the house. The Aries Moon's semi-barren dry nature is compatible for soil cultivation, mowing grass, and garden maintenance. And, if our location is suitable, we can plant pungent vegetables just before the Moon leaves Aries on December 29th.

Mind, Body & Health – An Aries Moon is a tremendously potent time to seek appropriate expression for our anger and frustration. We must release and vent our anger to mitigate the damage and destruction unexpressed anger does to us and the community around us. Repressed anger can create toxicity in the liver and diminish our vigor and energy, which leaves us feeling tight and constrained. We can work with the Aries Moon to renew and reinforce vitality, burn out toxins, and strengthen the adrenal system. And, we might invoke our warrior energy as we set ourselves a new challenge that tests our courage, strength, and will; and, begin a new exercise regime. We can further sustain our wellness as we strive to avoid rashness, driving too fast, and rushing a job. In addition to liver toxicity, we are vulnerable headaches, scalds and burns, cuts, and accidents under the Aries Moon's influence.

Business & Finance – The Aries Moon is an advantageous time to initiate, lead, and direct energy toward an intended goal. We can make decisions, implement tough measures, launch new schemes, and set up a new business. And, with peak energy and enthusiasm fueling our shopping excursions, appropriate purchases can include: sports clothes and gear; DIY materials; sunglasses; spectacles; a car; and anything red or made of metal. However; we must avoid acting or buying on impulse, skipping over the essentials, and going in with all our guns blazing. In addition, we are well advised to beware people's bad tempers.

The first rhythm the moon plays for us is the song of high and low tides, formed by her dance around the planet. The second rhythm the moon plays for us is the month-long song of growing and disappearing, writes Dana Gerhardt. If we are not acknowledging the balance of waxing and waning energies, our lives become out of sync with the rhythms our bodies and emotions naturally dance to. Whereas incorporating the Moon's rhythms into our lives aligns our efforts with prevailing cosmic forces, and offers us the opportunity to create the lives we desire with the support and energy flow of the cosmos.

As we prepare to welcome a new year, I hope for more and more of us that our efforts and desires on earth join with heaven in 2007.

© Yvonne Hanson, 2006

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yvonne Hanson is a freelance writer from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. In creating this column, Yvonne draws on fifteen years of astrological study and a desire to empower people. If you would like to sign up for Yvonne's free newsletter, which details the movement of the moon more closely, please contact her by email at starfire777_7@hotmail.com.