Sagittarius is the most projective sign in the zodiac. It’s symbol is the arrow shot out of a bow of either egocentric ideals—“My philosophy of life is the only correct vision of the universe!”—or altruistic visions of a better tomorrow to which the Centaur contributes his or her abundant life force. Thus we have two major archetypes of the bold Sagittarian adventurer. One is the person who states: “I shot my arrow into the air, it fell to Earth I know not where—and I really don’t care either! Just let me be free to ride!” The other is the individual who has responsible service to the Earth as his or her mission and goal. This Centaur states in word and deed: “I see the Goal, I reach that Goal, and then I see another. I ride forth to bring love and wisdom to a waiting world.”

This period (November 22-December 22) is particularly filled with the potent and expansive energies of the celestial Centaur as the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Pluto are in this sign for either all or some of the month under discussion. Mercury is particularly swift during this time, transiting from 15º Scorpio to 2º Capricorn in these 30 days. We all are particularly busy at holiday time, and Mercury’s wings will be in overdrive on helmet and ankles helping to quicken our pace and inviting more than the usual share of such end-of-year phrases as: “What have I forgotten to buy? Where are my lists? I know I left my address book somewhere around here! (And one of the most important of all--) I need to remember to invoke my ‘find a parking space mantra’ when I go to the mall.”

Even though the “Little Herm” is very fast these days, many of the other planets are not. Saturn insists on remaining at 8º of Virgo. Saturn in Virgo says: “Tidy up the place. Organize your work attitude. Prioritize your projects. Take care of your health.” Saturn loves to give orders! And he will be giving them especially to those areas in your life signified by important positions at 7-9º of the mutable signs (particularly Virgo and Pisces). Those with these degrees in Taurus and Capricorn, may find Saturn’s injunctions quite helpful in the areas mentioned above.

Uranus remains at 14º Pisces, entering the 15th degree of this sign on Decmber 17th. Those of you with these two degrees in the mutable signs prominent in your chart, will find that important shifts and changes are still taking place (Uranus has been at this position, give or take a couple of degrees, from the beginning of 2007). The key words here are: new archetypes. Thus transiting Uranus to your natal Venus from this position for example, invokes new kinds of social contacts and relationships and new ways of making money (as well as the reevaluation of your self-worth). Uranus to your Sun states: “There is a ‘new you’ that is in the process of individuating. Out old patterns and install that new software into your internal computer!” Such transitions will be a lot easier if you have these degrees in Cancer and Scorpio; they will be quite intensely experiences in Pisces and Virgo.

Jupiter is traveling between 24-30º of Sagittarius during most of this period (entering Capricorn on December 18th). Pluto is nearing the end of its passage through Sagittarius, entering Capricorn for the first time in over 240 years on January 25th (although he will not sit firmly in the domain of the Mountain Goat until November 27, 2008). Look for December 8-15 to be an intense one in world affairs, especially where religious matters are concerned. Naturally it is the Holiday Season and religion will be the second most talked about situation next to Christmas retail sales figures. But we all know that we are engaged in a complex world war that is based on religious/economic interests.

Interesting, the Ancient Wisdom Teachings tell us that there is always tension between spirit and matter. This is the fundamental duality of manifestation. This duality, this tension can only be resolved through the Third Divine Principle—love, also known to us as “soul” or “consciousness.” All three of these words: love, soul, consciousness, are exactly the same in terms of these Teachings.

My sense is that during the 8th to 15th of December, there will be a heightening of world religious/economic tensions (no news!), especially around the New Moon on December 9th at 17.16 Sagittarius. Jupiter and Pluto make an exact conjunction at 28.23 of the Centaur at 5.37pm (GMT) on December 11th. Mercury is square to Uranus on December 10th just to add a bit of chaos to world communications. (The Full Moon occurs on November 24th at 5.41pm GMT at 1.55 Gemini). Yet my own natal Jupiter trine the Sun nature wants me to believe (insists on it actually!), that there is order in the chaos and that not only will love prevail but that love does prevail. So let us use the opportunity of this New Moon, ruled as it is by the powerful Jupiter/Pluto contact (an aspect containing the great magic of wisdom) to create acts of conscious kindness in our prayers and in our home cities and towns.

Jupiter enters Capricorn on December 18th and during its entire year-long stay in that sign, Saturn its “dispositior” will be in Virgo. This interplay of Capricorn and Virgo, Jupiter and Saturn has some important characteristics, the subject of which I will write about in next month’s Newsletter.