Before we get to this week's forecast, I have two quick announcements:
1) If you haven't had a chance yet to listen to my recent Radio Interview, from earlier this month, click here. Questions centered around how the zodiac can influence relationships and compatibility, and particularly sexual compatibility between the signs.

2) Last chance to sign up for this week’s Forecasting Forum! This will be the last FORECASTING FORUM of the year! Live on Thursday, Dec. 20th at 11am PST/2pm EST/7pm GMT (London-time). Please note that we'll talk about 2019! We will take a look ahead at the whole year to gain some perspective and get an overview of what’s to come: What can we expect in 2019? What are the energies to watch out for, and which ones are the energies to get excited about?

If you want to get ready for 2019, join me live or sign up for the mp4-video presentation. To join for FREE every month, become a Star or SuperStar Member on my site. To register for this month only, click here (this also includes access to this month's Member's-only Full Moon video). If you are a Star or SuperStar Member already, please check your email on the day of the webinar!

Now, this week’s Forecast:

Monday (Dec. 17th): the Moon remains in pioneering, fast-paced Aries all day, where it will journey until Tuesday early morning. Life is an adventure, we're more open to new ideas, and have great enthusiasm for new projects. Patience is certainly not our strong suit at this time, but we can decide quickly, and act immediately.

Our independence and dynamism are important to us right now, so we may find it hard to be disciplined or accept advice at this time; in general, our responses to others tend to be more assertive or even aggressive. If you find your foot tapping, try hitting the gym, or finding other ways to burn off the body's excess energy.

Monday very early morning, an opportune Mars/Pluto aspect becomes exact at 1:57am EST. We started to feel this aspect from last week, Friday evening (Dec. 14th) on; it will be strong until this Thursday evening (Dec. 20th). This brings an opportunity to connect our personal passions to our Soul's passions.

We can dream up creative solutions to problems, and imaginative, unusual approaches to getting the job done. We favor subtle or peaceful solutions over conflict and confrontation. We feel more confident about our own talents.

It’s especially satisfying to do work that helps others — perhaps in support of a cause that transcends our own narrow, personal interests.

Strategic thinking and execution is favored right now, as is eliminating waste around time and energy. Remember though: An "opportunity" is just an opening, it's not automatically granted -- we have to "step up" to the opening, then through it...

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 18-22 degrees of Pisces, Capricorn, Scorpio or Taurus? If so, you will be more aware of this opportunity. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Aries or Scorpio (Mars is the ruler of Aries; Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio)

Monday late morning, we are invited to make adjustments and find creative solutions around personal desires and needs, versus our deep passion and focus on long-term goals. As best as you can, allow yourself to make space for both; flexibility and adaptability are key if we mean to move forward with our plans and projects... 

Also on Monday, around 10pm EST, Venus's Shadow phase ends in 10 degrees and 50 min. of Scorpio. During Venus shadow phases, it's best to hold off on anything new in connection with relationships, things we hold dear, or place value on (including finances) -- this is especially true when it comes to engaging in new relationships or partnerships. The good news is that with the Venus shadow phase ending today, we can finally go ahead and start up new enterprises, and make new financial investments.

Tuesday (Dec. 18th): the Moon remains in pioneering, fast-paced Aries, until 4:37am EST (see Monday for details).

Tuesday at 2:21am EST, we enter a Moon Void of Course (VoC), that last for a little over 2 hours, until 4:37am EST. Use this intuitive time to connect with people that can enthusiastically support your projects and share with them what you have going on.

As always with a Moon VoC, as best as you can, don't start anything brand-new, stick to routine things, or simply go with the flow. You may also want to plan Tuesday early morning ahead of time.

Tuesday at 4:37am EST, the Moon moves into steady, peaceful Taurus, where it will journey until Thursday late morning. We love all physical comforts, prefer consistency, and would rather stick with what we know works well. In other words: change is not our favorite thing and "rushing things" goes against our grain.

What is our favorite thing for the next two days? It's probably, slowing down and getting in touch with whatever delights our senses ;-)

Tuesday afternoon, we are invited to make some internal adjustments: We may want to have some peace and quiet, while at the same time, feeling the need to explore something new. How might an adaptable mental and physical approach support us right now?

Tuesday evening: we are again invited to make some internal adjustments... We may want to enjoy some luxurious pleasures, while feeling at the same time a desire to have an adventure of the mind and soul.

Tuesday late evening, Slow down a little and focus on what's sitting right in front of you that needs to be taken care of, so you can get to the next phase of accomplishment. Rushing will backfire right now. 

Also on Tuesday, the Chiron Station ends in almost 28º of Pisces and gets back to its normal pace through the sky. We have a chance to implement everything we learned during the retrograde phase and move forward with any emotional or spiritual wounding or insecurities/sensitivities that came up.

For those of you who want to have a better understanding of your personal healing journey, feel free to listen to the recording of my Chiron-workshop: "Healing with Astrology" Click here for more info  As a Member of my online community you already have access to this workshop for FREE via your Member's account (click on the "My Courses" tab).

Wednesday (Dec. 19th): the Moon remains in steady, peaceful Taurus all day (see Tuesday early morning for details). In the early morning, we have an opportunity to meet our need for material comfort with a gentler, more intuitive approach.

Wednesday late afternoon, a challenging Sun/Chiron aspect becomes exact at 5:02pm EST. We started to feel this aspect from last week, Sunday evening (Dec. 16th) on; it will remain strong until this Saturday evening (Dec. 22nd). This asks us to stretch ourselves and expand from within. We might feel less confident about who we are, and have a hard time projecting a social "front". Our conditioned mind and wounded feelings may be out of harmony with each other.

As best as you can, take this as an opportunity to make space for feeling vulnerable or emotional without seeing yourself as weak or "less than". It is perfectly ok to have feelings and feel insecure once in a while; as best as you can, bring compassion and love to yourself and others. After all, we are all human…

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (MC) or personal planets in degrees of 25-29 Sagittarius, Pisces, Virgo, Gemini or 0-1 degree of Capricorn, Aries, Cancer, or Libra? If so, you will feel the effects of this aspect more strongly than otherwise. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo (the Sun rules Leo).

Wednesday at 7:42pm EST, we enter a Moon Void of Course (VoC), that last for almost 14 hours, until 9:34am EST (Thursday late morning). Use this intuitive time as an opportunity to tap into your intuitive and imaginative abilities -- then focus anew on what's important for you, without rushing it.

As always with a Moon VoC, as best as you can, don't start anything brand-new, stick to routine things, or simply go with the flow. You may also want to plan Wednesday evening until Thursday late morning ahead of time.

Thursday (Dec. 20th): the Moon remains in steady, peaceful Taurus and VoC until 9:34am EST (see Tuesday early morning and Wednesday evening for details).

Thursday at 9:34am EST, the Moon moves into chatty, versatile Gemini, where it will journey until Saturday late morning. For the next two days, we like to learn, connect and interact as much as possible. "Busy" feels good: connecting online, on the phone, or sharing face-to-face, preferably multi-tasking all the way...

The one thing we can do without is boredom: If our mind is not engaged in some way, we might as well curl up and play dead :-)

Thursday late morning, a harmonious Sun/Uranus aspect becomes exact at 11:22am EST. We started to feel this aspect from Monday evening on; it will be strong until Sunday evening. This aspect connects us to a strong energy field -- physical and metaphysical. We feel alive, we want to create a better future for ourselves and others, and we are excited to do it. Watch out for messages from the Universe :-)

Originality and innovation come easy to us, as does connection with like-minded people. We can celebrate (and leverage) our idealism and unorthodox approaches to life's challenges. What if you expressed what's uniquely "you" without apologies? What if you did it with authenticity and enthusiasm? And, looking at things from a different angle: What might be possible with a bigger network of like-minded people?

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (MC) or personal planets in 25-29 degrees of Sagittarius, Aries , Leo or 0-1 degrees of Capricorn, Taurus, or Virgo? If so, you will feel more blessed by this planetary connection than otherwise.This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Aquarius or Leo (the Sun rules Leo; Uranus rules Aquarius).

Friday (Dec. 21st): the Moon remains in chatty, versatile Gemini all day (see Thursday late morning for details).

Friday early afternoon, a harmonious Venus/Neptune aspect becomes exact at 12:11pm EST. We started to feel this aspect from this Monday evening on; it will remain strong until next week, Monday (Dec. 24th). This supports us with the flow of feelings, especially in connection to our relationships and whatever we most value. Bringing compassion to our deepest feelings (including fears) and how we relate to others is going to feel easier at this time.

Our intuition and instincts are strongly supported here too. It becomes easier to trust others and open up to them; we give ourselves permission to receive love and emotional support. As best as you can, let all feelings flow.

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 11-17 degrees of Scorpio, Pisces or Cancer? If so, you will be most blessed by this aspect. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Taurus, Libra or Pisces (Venus is the ruler of Taurus and Libra; Neptune rules Pisces).

Friday early afternoon, a Mercury/Jupiter alignment in almost 9.5 degrees of Sagittarius becomes exact at 12:37pm EST. We started to feel this aspect build from this Tuesday evening on, it will remain strong until next week, Monday (Dec. 24th). This is the second of two alignments between those two planets within the last 3.5 weeks. The last one was exact on Nov. 27th.

Think back to that week, and see what came up for you in regards to your view on life -- with Mercury no longer retrograde, we get a chance to take a look at all that one more time and see if we need to view things differently this time around. What's your attitude now? How has it changed since the week of Nov. 27th?

This alignment definitely brings optimism and a tendency to talk and think more. It favors writing lists and prioritizing daily routines, submitting applications and forms, and test-taking.

We can more readily exercise good judgment, take a more philosophical approach to thinking, and find it easier to bring wholeness and order into our daily lives. There is a sense of mental expansion; we see our world as a place of constant adventure and personal growth.

We are optimistic and enthusiastic -- and things tend to go well as a result. It's all about thinking big: What if expanding our conception of thought helped us find a larger point of view on everything else too? What if that expanded view showed us how we might grow beyond who we were conditioned to be?

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 6-13 degrees of Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini, or Virgo? If so, you will feel this alignment quite strongly. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Gemini, Virgo, or Sagittarius (Mercury is the ruler of Gemini and Virgo, so those folks will always be affected more strongly by Mercury's movements and aspects; Jupiter rules Sagittarius)

Friday early evening, at 5:23pm EST, the Sun changes signs from adventurous, optimistic, truth-seeking Sagittarius to practical, accomplishment-oriented, status-oriented Capricorn. This also marks the shortest day of the year (in the northern hemisphere) and the beginning of Winter -- aka the Winter Solstice.

The Solstices are important turning points that take place twice a year: They are energetic gateways for the summer or winter season to come through. Solstice Points are thus extra-potent times to set intentions and take part in ceremonies.

The Sun will journey through the sign of Capricorn until January 19th. Capricorn is a feet-on-the-ground, eyes-on-the-prize sign. As the Sun travels through it, we take a realistic, grounded approach to life; we know how to do things, and how to get things done.

We have a stronger sense of society and its structure, and feel most secure when doing our part within that structure; as such, worldly recognition may take on more importance for us. Making plans for the future can be very effective right now. We are more risk-averse at this time but we are ready to work hard and focus on what is essential.

All this is especially true if you are a Leo or Capricorn Sun-sign or Rising-sign. As a Capricorn, you will feel a good dose of confidence and playfulness in the next four weeks; as a Leo, you are more cautious and practical than usual…working towards a realistic long-term goal might be just the thing for you to do.

Saturday (Dec. 22nd): the Moon remains in chatty, versatile Gemini, until 11:28am EST (see Thursday late morning for details).

Saturday at 9:21am EST, we enter a Moon Void of Course (VoC), that last for a little over 2 hours, until 11:28am EST. Use this intuitive time as an opportunity to connect with others, exchange information, and move personal projects forward.

As always with a Moon VoC, as best as you can, don't start anything brand-new, stick to routine things, or simply go with the flow. You may also want to plan Saturday late morning ahead of time.

Saturday at 11:28am EST, the Moon moves into into protective, nurturing Cancer, where it will journey until Monday late morning (Dec. 24th). With this Moon placement, we are more sensitive to what people say and therefore our feelings are more easily hurt -- so be kind to yourself and others. Self-Care is key for the next two and half days ;-)

Emotional safety is important to us as well; we like connecting to the familiar and we enjoy nurturing ourselves and others -- home and family call to us, for instance. Make sure though, that your glass is filled before letting others drink from it, otherwise you might start to feel drained and resentful. This Moon placement starts the build up towards the Full Moon (exact in a little bit, at 12:49pm EST).

Saturday early afternoon, at 12:49pm EST, the Moon opposes the Sun (in almost 1 degree of Cancer). Relationships of all kinds are highlighted during this time — but with this Full Moon, there is a particularly strong emphasis on family- and business-relationships. Feel free to also watch Full Moon video

We could say that this Lunation is the beginning of Eclipse season, even though officially it starts on Dec. 26th, because the Moon Nodes are also in Cancer/Capricorn. This would normally indicate that we are dealing with a Lunar Eclipse, rather than a regular Full Moon -- but in the case of this particular Full Moon, the Moon Nodes are too far apart by degree, and we will have to wait until the next New Moon in Capricorn (in two weeks time on Jan 5th) for an Eclipse to be in effect.

That said, we will feel a certain resonance with the previous Solar Eclipse in Cancer that we experienced back on July 12th of this year, and also with the next Solar Eclipse in Cancer -- it becomes exact in early July of 2019.

This Full Moon shows us how far we have come since July when it comes to self-care and any issues connected to family or home -- and it's worth noting that we are, so to speak, at the midpoint of that journey. We get to see where we need to step things up or move in a different direction.

We covered a preview of 2019 in our Monthly Forecasting Forum on Dec. 20th! Feel free to get the mp4-video presentation of the live event: click here after Dec. 20th. Star and Superstar Members, check your email for the link of the recording ;-)

This Full Moon also happens right after the shortest day of the year (in the northern hemisphere) and the beginning of Winter -- aka the Winter Solstice. (feel free to read more on this subject in Friday's post)

As you may recall, we usually don't set intentions at the time of the Full Moon, however, this would be an exception because of the Solstice-energy.

With the Sun just having entered Capricorn -- only a day before the Full Moon becomes exact -- we are stepping into a new Sun-cycle as well as a new Moon-cycle. This would indicate that finding a balance between the Capricorn-Cancer polarity is essential in order to truly fulfill on our Capricorn goals.

Ask yourself: How am I balancing the demands of my inner and outer life? Home life vs. Career? Where am I able to be mature and self-reliant -- and also contribute?

In order to emerge as healthy beings, we need to be able to nurture ourselves and others, in part by taking care of our feelings and our "inner baby" (Cancer) — yet we also need to be able to evolve into responsible adults, able to provide for ourselves and others (Capricorn).

Cancer represents the formation of the emotional body and an understanding of our feelings and needs; this helps us navigate life by building an awareness of what is healthy or harmful to us.

When we understand the Cancer energy fully, we have learned about self-care and receiving -- not just giving, or helping others -- while with Capricorn, we eventually learn about giving back, not just accomplishing for personal gain or reaching a higher status.

Full Moons also illuminate the shadow side of each sign -- so, for the next two weeks, ask yourself these questions: Where might I be taking too little responsibility? Where might I be taking too much? When do I blame? Shame? Feel guilty? Where do I tend to get defensive? If I had better boundaries, where would I establish them?

In order to develop a healthy inner Capricorn, we must learn to listen to our feelings and honor our needs, rather than disregarding them. Only then can we build something of value and move towards mastery.

Ask yourself: Where might the balance lie between nurturing and self-care, versus achieving my goals? Are those things really in conflict? Am I doing what I want to do, or what I think I "should" do?

Saturn (the ruler of Capricorn) aligns with the Sun and opposes the Moon.This brings a more serious tone to the pursuit of long-term goals -- we are called upon to "get real" and bring conscious awareness to our roles, rules, responsibilities, and to our limitations and boundaries.

Ask yourself: Do some of my existing long-term goals need a stronger commitment on my part? What new commitments are calling out to me? What would it look like if I made careful use of whatever lies within my control?

How do I deal with my own or other people's limitations? What about their boundaries? How am I doing at setting healthy boundaries for myself?

This quote sums it up quite nicely: 

"Time for children of God to grow up, and become adults of God instead.” -- Swami Beyondananda

Now, the Moon in Cancer seeks to create a sense of home and family; it wants us to have the experience of nourishing bonds, and surroundings that support our emotional growth. Saturn opposing the Moon in Cancer invites us to bring a certain amount of maturity to our interactions with others -- it's about respecting boundaries, respecting the rules,...

Ask yourself: If I'm honest, how productive am I likely to be when I don't take care of my most basic needs? How am I doing with sleep? Food? Water? Shelter? Giving and receiving affection, emotional connection, and safety? What would healthy, responsible self-care look like for me? What might open up if I did even a little better with that for the next two weeks?

Also ask: What happens when I don't allow myself to feel my feelings? When I "should" on myself?

Where am I holding on to the past? How might this be affecting my reality right here and now?

And of course, as always when Cancer and Capricorn are involved: take baby-steps (or if you prefer "take it one day at a time" ;-) Ask yourself: Why would I sprint if I would arrive at the perfect time by walking? Check to see where any urge for rushing or "getting there" comes from -- is it based in fear or love?

What if I trusted the timing of things 5% more? What if I brought 5% more compassion and love to every moment while working towards my achievement? Could I do that just by checking in with my physical and emotional needs from time to time? What might result from closing my eyes for a minute or two, now and then, to take a moment with myself, to tune in and center myself?

Another planet that impacts this Full Moon chart is Uranus. Uranus is currently in a very late degree of Aries, and trines the Sun in a very early degree of Capricorn, as well as sextiles the Moon in a very early degree of Cancer. The Astrological term for this is "out of sign aspect". The signs involved here are not your typical Trines or Sextiles, but by degree still very powerful, especially since they are only 2 degrees apart from being in an exact aspect.

Originality and innovation come easy to us, as does connection with like-minded people. Ask yourself: Am I connecting to a larger vision for my future? How do my individual passions and goals connect to a larger contribution for society? What might be possible with a bigger network of like-minded people?

This is also a great time to work with your own astrological chart, or seek other ways to elevate your consciousness, create your own reality, and experience freedom from within.

Ask yourself: What does "unique leadership" mean to me? Where might I locate this energy within me? If I found it, what might I do with it? What small (or large) steps could I take to bring my unique vision to the world? What would be the first building block that would put some real foundations under my ability to manifest this in my various communities?

Remember: what you do for you, you do for everyone… and what you do for everyone, you do for you!

Mars, the archetype of desire and courage, willpower and assertion, is still in Pisces, located between Neptune and Chiron. This is building a bridge between compassion and heartfelt understanding and our spiritual healing process. Ask yourself: What spiritual or creative energy processes might support me on my healing journey at this time? What role might music "play" in all of this? Could I allow myself to tap into the "masculine" doing-energy from within?

Venus in Scorpio makes a Trine to Neptune in Pisces -- both sextiling Saturn in Capricorn -- this underlines the opportunity to experience more trust in our relationships and partnerships. Ask yourself: How might granting myself permission to receive love and emotional or energetic support from others support my long-term goals?

On Dec. 31st, Mars will move into Aries and square the Full Moon degree. Squares indicate turning points -- and this one represents a turning point in our personal journey towards greater passion and fulfillment. Ask yourself: What does assertiveness look like when fear is not present? What if I could use my masculine energies in a courageous, enthusiastic way, without burning any bridges?

To sum it all up: Honor your feelings and needs so you can build something of value and share the fruits of your labor with the world.

As best as you can, mature to the point where you no longer need to look outside of yourself for approval or validation -- and ask yourself: What would it feel like to be the master of my own life? Am I more connected to what nurtures me -- or to my "shoulds"? Does my current environment support my inner growth? Does it provide me with nourishing bonds to others?

This Full Moon is connected to two signs that represent feminine, receptive energies; this requires us to generate from the inside out. Ask yourself (and as best as you can, be really honest with yourself): Where (and when) do I tend to look for permission outside of myself? When (and where) have I abdicated my authority -- or projected it onto others?

As best as you can, be kind and gentle, compassionate, and accepting of yourself -- this will help balance the Cancer/Capricorn polarities. During these next two weeks, self-care definitely deserves our attention… Make sure you get plenty of rest, affection, water, and healthy nutritious foods ;-)  As a reminder, feel free to also watch my Full Moon video

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 0-3 degrees of Cancer, Capricorn, Aries, Libra or 28-29 degrees of Gemini, Sagittarius, Pisces, or Virgo? If so, you are more affected by this month's Full Moon. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo or Cancer (the Sun rules Leo; the Moon rules Cancer).

Sunday (Dec. 23rd): the Moon remains in protective, nurturing Cancer all day (See Saturday late morning for details).

Sunday early morning, we may experience authoritarian or rigid attitudes, both toward and from others. This could create some tension or oppositional behaviors -- so, as best you can, remain flexible and practice self-care, doing your best to take care of your emotional and physical body -- that way, you'll remain able to stay grounded in reality.

Sunday morning, requires some inner adjustments. We feel uneasy or awkward and need to make a choice, one that demands we develop inner awareness around two very different urges: on the one hand, the desire to connect to something new and exciting for the mind — and on the other hand, the need to nurture ourselves and stay in touch with our feeling body.

Sunday late morning, we are in a state of “flow” and emotional connection to others; spiritual and creative endeavors are favored.

Sunday early afternoon, we have a nice feeling of ease and an ability to trust and connect deeply with others. As best as you can, trust your intuitive sensing right now, allow whatever comes up to be beneficial for you, and your loved ones. 

Sunday evening, we may take an all-or-northing attitude toward others; this could drive some tension or oppositional behaviors... As best you can, remain flexible and practice self-care — take good care of your emotional and physical body -- that way, you'll remain able to empower yourself and others. 

A heads up for next Monday (Dec. 24th): the Moon remains in protective, nurturing Cancer, until 11:59am EST (see Saturday late morning - Dec. 22nd for details). At 9:50am EST, we enter a Moon Void of Course (VoC), that last for a little over 2 hours, until 11:59am EST; as best as you can, don't start anything brand-new, stick to routine things, or simply go with the flow - you may also want to plan Monday late morning ahead of time. At 11:59am EST, the Moon moves into fun and attention-loving Leo, where it will journey until Wednesday early afternoon. Monday evening, a challenging Mercury/Neptune aspect becomes exact at 7:32pm EST; we started to feel this aspect build from Dec. 22nd on, it will remain strong until Dec. 26th. Also on Monday, Uranus starts its Stations phase in 28.5 degrees of Aries... More about the details in next week’s forecast :)

One Last Announcement:

Last chance to join me for the last FORECASTING FORUM of the year! Live on Thursday, Dec. 20th at 11am PST/2pm EST/7pm GMT (London-time). Please note that we'll talk about 2019! We will take a look ahead at the whole year to gain some perspective and get an overview of what’s to come.

What can we expect in 2019? What are the energies to watch out for, and which ones are the energies to get excited about?

If you want to get ready for 2019, join me live or sign up for the mp4-video presentation. To join for FREE every month, become a Star or SuperStar Member on my site. To register for this month only, click here.

Here is a testimonial from one of our participants after joining our most recent Forum:

“Sonja, you have no idea how helpful your insight was!! I'm sure you have some idea how many people you help and give clarity to. I'm so so grateful, because now I know what I must do” — Sid E.