Only major aspects (conjunction, 0°; sextile, 60°; square, 90°; trine, 120°; opposition, 180°) between the sun and planets are included here. All lunar aspects (other than full and new moons) have been omitted, hence there is not an entry for every day. Aspect patterns frequently overlap; where there are several major aspects occurring on the same day, synthesize their combined characteristics to determine the overall trend, then act accordingly. But remember...YOU make the final call! An aspect's influence can last from a day or two, in the case of Mercury, Venus, or Mars, to several weeks and even months when the slower-moving 'outer' planets are involved. Times given are when aspects peak. In addition, planets periodically appear to slow down, stop, then change their orbital direction, turning Retrograde or Direct; these periods of apparent motionlessness are called Stations and for a week or two either side of them, all themes associated with the planet are greatly emphasized.

1 Venus conjunct Pluto 5:50am, at 06°15' Capricorn—Be alert to compulsive behavior; powerful energies exist for healing; for some, a new love interest or fascination may develop, for others a financial windfall is possible; favourable for corporate business interests and joint financial concerns.

2 Sun square Mars 5:08am—Avoid unnecessary competitiveness and impatience; egos are easily bruised now; turning the energy of frustrations into constructive action will give you the necessary drive to accomplish all of the tasks on your "to do" list..

4 Sun conjunct Mercury retrograde 12:52am, at 11°50' Sagittarius—Act on your ideas now, particularly for improving health habits or work practices, but only after careful thought; communicate thoughts and views, but let others get a word in, too; attend to back-logged paperwork, correspondence, and messages. Mercury retrograde square Mars 3:19pm—Intellect is sharp, though logic may be flawed; excitable, impulsive tendencies exist; be careful not to betray confidences, or in some way "let the cat out of the bag"; remain aware while traveling.

5 Venus trine Mars 7:08am—Thrills galore! a day tailor-made for romance; seek funding for a pet project; favorable for most forms of creative self-expression.

9 Uranus stations Direct 11:05pm, at 00°39' Aries—Ambition is kindled, goal-setting is favored, and the revolutionary spirit abounds!

10 Full Moon, Lunar Eclipse 6:36am, at 18°11' Gemini—One's everyday physical circumstances in some way come into focus; if you've been contemplating a change of surroundings, now may be the time to do it...it could even be forced upon you; release whatever or whomever no longer serves you [or your recently redefined sense of a higher purpose], particularly in regard to partnerships or associations; observe how you communicate for ways in which you may improve interpersonal relations.

13 Mercury stations Direct 5:43pm, at 03°51' Sagittarius—Communications are now back on track; mental processes are accelerating; move ahead with plans now but with caution...continue to avoid making snap decisions, as there's a tendency towards impatience.

18 Venus square Saturn 6:18am—Spend some quiet time alone; a more serious than social vibe pervades the ethers; work on ways to stabilize your cash flow.

19 Sun sextile Saturn 8:26am—Constructive progress can be made towards career goals; being both practical and creative achieves best results; advice from an elder or authority figure could prove helpful.

20 Venus enters Aquarius 10:26am (till Jan 13, 2012)—Socialize, connect with friends; affection is more freely expressed; relationships can take an unconventional twist; seek financing for an innovative project. Sun sextile Neptune 12:48pm—Imagination is inspired; experiment with telepathy or lucid dreaming...try going to bed with the firm knowledge that you will receive an answer to a particular question in your dreams. Venus square Jupiter retrograde 6:21pm—Self-discipline may be lacking now; beware of pursuing pleasures while duties go unfulfilled; safeguard your resources...financial extravagance is rampant! Nonetheless, personal growth is not only possible as a result of events that occur around this juncture but quite probable. Venus sextile Uranus 11:57pm—An unexpected social or financial opportunity could occur; artistic inspiration abounds; a desire to "do something different" may arise; have fun with stimulating people!

21 Winter Solstice, Sun enters Capricorn 9:30pm (till Jan 20, 2012)—The creative energies of the Sun are constrained, disciplined and focused on achievement in Saturn-ruled Capricorn; try to get a handle on where you're going, career-wise; on the inner planes, that Divine spark of creative force within each one of us is glowing brightly now, so seek inspiration or guidance from within...and learn to trust what your intuition tells you.

22 Sun trine Jupiter retrograde 6:33am—Visualize very clearly what you want...you just might get it! expand your intellectual and occupational horizons; advertising campaigns and PR activities are favored; journeys for business, foreign investments, and legal affairs are all supported now. Pursue business, educational, or creative goals with renewed fervor; seek favors from those in authority; plan or take a long-distance trip. Sun square Uranus 2:15pm—Potentially a real shaker! Flow with any changes in circumstances beyond your control, but this is not the time to initiate change based solely upon a desire for greater personal freedom; however, creative inspiration abounds.

24 New Moon 10:06am, at 02°34' Capricorn—Creative impetus exists for planning practical, new business ventures, perhaps with friends, that help to educate people; surf the net for progressive business opportunities, contacts or information; communicate with family and friends at a distance via email.

25 Jupiter stations Direct 2:09pm, at 00°22' Taurus—Jupiter's resumption of "forward" motion could bring growth opportunities that can quickly propel one way beyond one's preconceived limitations...providing that one is aware enough to recognize the potential inherent in opportunities that may present themselves.

28 Sun conjunct Pluto 11:41pm, at 07°13' Capricorn—Will-power and assertiveness intensify...watch out for ego clashes, or attempts at coercion; a glimpse of the darker side of life, or of oneself, could be revealed; a strong sexual stimulus pervades the ethers; much creative potential is available...utilize it to expand your horizons.

31 Mercury square Mars 10:06pm— Intellect is sharp, excitable, impulsive tendencies exist; be careful not to betray confidences, or in some way "let the cat out of the bag"; remain aware while traveling..

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EXPANDED FORECAST FOR DECEMBER, 2011

Be alert to compulsive behavior as December begins, as Venus and Pluto align in conjunction in 07° Capricorn on the 1st. Powerful energies now exist for healing, while for some, a new love interest or fascination may develop. This planetary pairing is also favorable for corporate business interests and joint financial concerns.

Under normal circumstances, the conjunction of the sun and Mercury on the 4th (in 12° Sagittarius) would be a clarion call to act on your bright ideas. But because the messenger of the gods is currently in retrograde, some very careful fact checking might be called for before communicating your thoughts and views. Nevertheless, this is a good time to attend to backlogged correspondence and messages. Be alert to educational opportunities, or highly valued information. Important announcements or decisions could also be forthcoming.

When Venus trines Mars, early on the 5th, it could be thrills galore, and a day tailor-made for romance. This planetary pairing also favors most forms of creative self-expression.

After five months in retrograde, Uranus, planet of innovation, stations direct late on the 9th (early 10th, EST), in 01° Aries. Ambition is powerfully kindled at this time, and goal setting is favored, while the spirit of revolution abounds. There is also heightened potential for seismic activity and unstable weather for several days around this potent planetary station.

A total lunar eclipse occurs as the full moon culminates on the 10th, in 19° Gemini. One’s everyday physical circumstances may in some way come into focus in the days around this lunation. Some may be contemplating a change of surroundings, while it could even be forced upon others. Release whatever or whomever no longer serves you now, particularly in regard to associations that may no longer have relevance. Observe how you communicate around this juncture for ways in which you may improve interpersonal relations.

After three tongue twisting, logically challenged weeks, Mercury stations direct on the 13th. Communications are more reliable, while mental processes quicken. Move ahead with plans now, but with caution. Avoid making snap decisions, as there’ll be a tendency towards impatience for a few days.

On the 19th the sun sextiles Saturn, when constructive progress can be made towards career goals. Being both practical and creative achieves best results now. Seek career or educational advice from an elder or authority figure, as it could prove most helpful.

The sun sextiles Neptune and then forms a jarring square to Uranus either side of the winter solstice, propagating two widely divergent cosmic influences. With the former, imagination is inspired and instincts sharpen. But the sun’s square to unpredictable Uranus is potentially a real shaker! By all means flow with any changes in circumstances beyond your control, but this is not the time to initiate change based solely upon a desire for greater personal freedom. Nonetheless, creative inspiration abounds, making this a great time to brainstorm.

The winter solstice arrives late on the 21st (early 22nd, EST) as the sun leaves outgoing Sagittarius and enters the cool, calculating domain of Capricorn, where the creative energies of the sun are constrained, disciplined and focused on achievement in this Saturn-ruled sign. Try to get a handle on where you’re going, career-wise, over the next four weeks.

Pursue business, educational, or creative goals with renewed fervor now as the solstice sun also trines expansive Jupiter, promising much growth potential during the winter season. Seek favors from those in authority, as they may be more conciliatory now.

December’s new moon arrives on Christmas Eve, the 24th, in 03° Capricorn. Review or upgrade professional objectives, and expand your occupational horizons. Acknowledge and release any deep-rooted fears of failure that may have been holding you back from realizing your full potential and move forward with renewed confidence. With the lunation conjunct Pluto and in trine to Jupiter, connect with influential people or groups with whom you share common professional goals, philosophies or objectives during the next four weeks.

After four months in retrograde, giant Jupiter stations direct on Christmas Day, the 25th, in 01° Taurus. Jupiter’s resumption of forward motion through the zodiac could bring sudden growth opportunities that can quickly propel one way beyond one’s preconceived limitations.

When the sun conjuncts distant Pluto on the 28th in 08°Capricorn, willpower and assertiveness are greatly intensified. Watch out for ego clashes, or attempts at coercion now. A glimpse of the darker side of life, or of oneself, could be revealed as a result of this potent planetary union.
A nerve-jangling square between Mercury and Mars perfects late on New Year’s Eve, when excitable, impulsive tendencies will be rampant. Be careful not to betray confidences, or in some way "let the cat out of the bag". Remain alert and aware while traveling. If you’re heading out to a party or for dinner, allow plenty of time so there’s no need to rush. The same applies afterwards when you’re heading home—it will help to ensure a happy beginning to 2012.

Tim Gunns is an astrological writer and consultant with over 25 years experience, a conference coordinator and producer, new age market and speaker consultant to the entertainment industry, formerly program director of the Los Angeles Conscious Life Expo, and of the national Whole Life Expos, and co-producer of the 1st Los Angeles Sound Healing Conference in 2008. To help you to better understand yourself and those you closely interact with, Tim prepares personalized no-nonsense interpretations of Natal Horoscopes ($40), Future Forecast Transit Reports ($75 for 1 full year) and two kinds of Relationship Compatibility analyses ($45 each). Private consultations with Tim by phone may also be scheduled, which must be pre-paid and scheduled in advance. Send Name (as you'd like it to appear on the chart), Date of Birth, time (as close as possible), place of birth (city/country, etc.) for each person, and return address & phone# to: Tim Gunns, 110 Hilltop Drive, Waynesville, NC 28786, USA, or phone 828-452-7885 or email: tgearthstar@aol.com to schedule a Consultation. Payment can be made via Paypal to tgearthstar@aol.com