December begins with a brilliant Full Moon and ends with a Blue Moon high in the sky on New Year's Eve! These are special Full Moons both Out of Bounds North flying above the zodiac and directly over Orion, the celestial Hero. A Full Moon north of the zodiacal boundary brings more latitude and consciousness for setting things right in the world. Moon Out of Bounds north over Orion empowers new leaders in bringing needed change.

In the great lunar cycle, the Moon is In Bounds for a 9-year period followed by 9 years of being alternately Out of Bounds North and Out of Bounds South for a few days each month. We’ve just passed the peak of a 9-year period of great change and transformation. Now it’s time to create anew, old ways just won’t do. While changes have occurred quickly this past year, most of these changes were about breaking up old forms rather than building new ones. New creative breakthroughs have occurred more on the inner level while revolutionary Uranus has been moving backwards in the sky since July 1.

Uranus turning direct this Dec 1st begins a radical shift forward that picks up momentum in weeks and months to come. Uranus moving forward activates new energies and inspirations in all of us. The power of Uranus is channeled through the Moon, more especially when the Moon is Out of Bounds. These times open the way to revolutionary changes and breakthrough discoveries. Progressive social change is promoted now with all the outer planets moving forward.

All that’s new gets seeded true as the Sun comes to its magic zero point this Winter Solstice Dec 20-21. It’s our time to celebrate and invoke the return of the Light, our Light, to set everything right in our world. Now is the time to awaken and stir the forces.

Dec 1-2 (exact 12/2 2:30 am) Revelation/Celebration Sagittarius Full Moon The Cherokee call this Bounding Bush Moon. It brings awareness of the World Tree of Winter Solstice, the cosmic center of the year Dec 21. Each Full Moon is an opportunity for revelation and for healing body, mind and soul. Spiritual energies continue to flow for the three days following the Full Moon. Revelations come in dreams, ‘chance’ encounters and flashes of inspiration.

December 1-4 (2:57 am 12/1 - 9:29 am 12/4) News Ideas and Opportunities Moon Out of Bounds North This is a good time to start a business, have a social gathering or bring new discoveries to light. Late evening Dec 2 is most magical when the Moon sails high over Orion.

December 11-19 – Illumination Hanukkah This 8-day Festival of Lights celebrates purification of the spirit and the miracle of eternal light. The deeper we go in the dark of the Hannukkah New Moon (Dec 16) the brighter the light in the New Year.

December 12-14 – Make a Wish Balsamic Moon This is a time to put wishes on the air and bring people to mind for healing. Wishes at Balsamic Moon come to fulfillment at the Full.  Shadows of the past come up now to be transformed. Key to transforming shadow is deep breathing with attention to an ideal.

Dec 14-17 (11:26 pm 12/13 - 8:31 pm 12/17) Inner World Illuminated Moon Out of Bounds South Old patterns of belief and behavior are revealed and more easily reformed. We may experience emotional challenges relating to any area of life where we’ve been blocked or hiding from ourselves. Go beneath the surface, change habits and renovate your inner world.

Dec 15 until Sunset Dec 17 – Time to Look Within Dark of the Moon While unfavorable for most outward activities it is a good time for house cleaning to clear space for a new cycle of creation. Take time to slow down and go within.

December 17-21 – A Time to Sow Crescent New Moon Whatever is begun in this time is apt to succeed. All social gatherings and new initiatives are favored by this Sagittarian Moon. Meditation now can open many doors, wishes take wing and bring blessings for this Moon and Year to be.

Dec 21 (exact 12:47 pm) – Seeding the New Year Winter Solstice This is the Druid’s Festival of Liberation, the ‘Day Out of Time’ when mistletoe is gathered. Winter Solstice (‘still standing Sun’) continues for 3-4 days until the Sun moves northward again on Christmas Day. Moon with Jupiter and Neptune now seeds abundance and spiritual awakening.

Dec 23 (9:04 – 11:04 am) – A Time to Envision Moon at the Equator / Lunar Zero Point North Lunar 0 Points are cosmic balance times for creative imagining. Tis the Season of Yule. Now’s the time to sow seeds for successful family/community celebration.

Dec 24 – Let Go the Old, Power On the New First Quarter Moon The First Quarter is like a scythe cutting across the sky. This is a time for decision, a time for cutting away old ways and empowering the New.

Dec 25 – Rebirth of Light and Love Christmas Day Christmas is ‘the Day of the Unconquerable Sun,’ when the Sun begins to move northward again following Winter Solstice. A great mystery surrounds this day when the spiritual Light of the World is renewed. This new light becomes manifest through the 12 days of Yule culminating with Epiphany Jan 6. Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, the Egyptian god Horus, the Phrygian god Attis and Persean Mithras. All represent the solar logos reborn on Earth each year at midnight on the Eve of Dec 25th.

Dec 28-31 (1:07 pm 12/31 - 7:32 pm 12/31) Enter the Higher World Moon Out of Bounds North New ideas are more easily and successfully shared. Share opportunities, make announcements, bring new discoveries to light. An Out of Bounds Full Moon sets the Year off right. Happy New Year!

Steve Nelson is a professional astrologer who uses tarot, name analysis, and traditional astrology to help clients understand personal myths and realize natural abilities. He may be reached at 704-375-3759 or email [email protected].