If you were expecting some kind of sun sign nonsense, forget about it. This is real astrology for the real world, not some mystical mumbo-jumbo psycho-babble word salad. If it's real astrology for yourself that you want, you can get it by phone or in print. And if you need help deciphering the astrological glyphs in the graphics accompanying this article, see Astroglyphs: Astrological Symbols Guide. Please note: this forecast is expressed in terms of Universal Time (UT, aka GMT). Also please be aware that, while I never change a forecast once it's published, I do post errata to acknowledge typographical errors and the like.

PLEASE NOTE: This month’s forecast incorporates elements of (and refers to) my complete 2013 World Forecast Highlights (31 8-1/2 x 11” illustrated pages), focused, amplified and elaborated with details for the month as appropriate. Coming soon, at the end of December, is the full version of my 2014 World Forecast Highlights, available in hard copy by mail ($75) or as a PDF document by email ($50). Orders may be phoned in (toll-free from anywhere in North America to 800-527-8761) and charged to any major credit card. PayPal orders may be placed starting December 2, direct from your own PayPal account page to rnolle@astropro.com – or by using the AstroPro PayPal order page.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
-- Ecclesiastes 1:9
 

December is in some ways a token for the New Year. It includes two Max cycles (Venus and Mars Max) that will carry over for months into 2014, for one thing. For another, the very first SuperMoon of 2014 opens its shock window as December draws to a close. And last but hardly least is the Uranus-Pluto waxing quadrature), which was last exact on November 1 but remains within a few degrees of partile throughout December and well into 2014. So get ready: much of what we experience this month presages what lies ahead.

THE URANUS-PLUTO QUADRATURE

For years now, I’ve been describing the 2011-2016 Uranus-Pluto square as setting the underlying theme for these years. Revolution, financial and economic upheaval, scientific and technological breakthroughs, attempts at social reform to accommodate all these things: that’s the nature of this celestial configuration, these times. The news over these past couple of years bears this out, from the Arab Spring to protests, revolts and riots in too many countries to mention (including the Occupy Movement), it’s clear that something has been and is still stirring – and will continue into early 2016, mark my words.

This background of social disturbance stresses out a lot of people, many of whom end up going criminal – hence the rash of mass murders, murder-suicides etc. these past couple years, to cite just one example. Expect all such disturbances – from the individual to the collective – to continue apace, and in fact to intensify this month, what with the Mars Max cycle beginning on the 22nd, and continuing up to August 9, 2014.

THE MARS MAX FACTOR

There’s a full explanation of what the Mars Max cycle is, along with historical examples, in my article on the subject. Suffice it to say that it’s the point in their orbital cycles when Earth and Mars draw closest together, culminating in the (geocentric) Sun-Mars opposition – which, this time around, occurs on April 8, 2014. (Think of it this way: Mars Max is analogous to a SuperMoon shock window, only it operates more in terms to zeitgeist than geophysical tides.)

Strong Mars factors always correspond to an excitation in the human psyche, individually and collectively. Haste, impulsiveness, impatience, belligerence are peaking at such times. In the zeitgeist as a whole, this manifests in conflict, aggression, war: that’s the clashes part of the "fires, clashes, crashes and explosions" description I’ve been using for Red Planet prominence for years now. Get ready, because it’s picking up this month, especially going into the 22nd, as Mars aligns opposite Uranus and the Mars Max cycle sets in. Get a grip, keep focused and alert, steer clear of trouble if you can – and if you can’t, then obliterate it at the outset. (Definitely not a good time to be going in harm's way, or creating potential conflicts. Think Syria, Iraq, the China Sea, etc.)

On a very different note, the Venus Max cycle that began last month (on the 1st) continues throughout December, and on into March 22, 2014. Like Mars Max, Venus Max is the cycle when Earth and Venus make their close approach. The yin to Mars’ yang, Venus Max brings out a more harmonious, fruitful zeitgeist. All else being equal – which is an abstraction, because everything is always in flux – Venus Max coincides with an increase in prosperity, enjoyment, beauty and the social graces. With Venus Max in effect all month, expect financial and economic indicators to be more positive than negative, over all. (December 4-5 and 18-19 look like some kind of highlight in this trend, but most any early evening partakes in it to some extent.) Granted, this is supported by massive liquidity influxes of one kind or another, so it isn’t sustainable in the long run. That doesn’t matter, because after the Great Chronocrator of 2020, a whole new long run begins.

Looking at the geophysical indicators, those timers of extreme tides in the crust, skies and seas of our home planet, I see several shock windows coming up this month. Regulars know what to expect: an uptick in newsworthy storms with strong winds and heavy precipitation (with attendant flooding and landslides), a run of extreme high tides along the coasts, and a rash of moderate to severe seismic activity (including Magnitude 5+ earthquakes as well as volcanic eruptions).

First among these is the new moon and lunar south declination peak on the 3rd, anchoring a shock window that runs from November 30 into December 6; probably most intense around the 3rd and 4th (the latter being the day of lunar perigee). The next major shock window, anchored by the full moon and lunar north declination peak on the 17th. There are a couple of lesser shock windows as well, a day or so either side of the Moon’s equatorial crossings on the 9th and 24th. But the really big risk Factor this month is associated with the lunar south declination peak on the 31st melding into the SuperMoon new moon on January 1. I figure this is a shock window that runs from December 29 into January 7 (extended a day by the Moon’s equatorial crossing on January 6).

Being astronomical in scale, all these alignments – and most especially the SuperMoon – raise a planet wide potential for particularly strong storms, tides and seismic upheaval. Just to be on the safe side, have your foul weather gear and go bag ready, and a stocked pantry in case you’re cut off for some time. Most of us won’t need any of this, but it’s better by far to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Acknowledgments

All astrological charts as well as eclipse and astro-locality maps are calculated and produced using Esoteric Technologies’ Solar Fire Gold Version 7.0.8 Sky map images are screen captures from the Pocket Universe app for iPhone, or produced by Starry Night for Windows. Storm tracks are screen captures from The Weather Channel app for iPhone. Solar activity images are screen captures from the 3D SUN app for iPhone. And earthquake maps are screen captures from Quakes Pro Earthquake Alerts app for iPhone.

SPECIAL FEATURE: This month's birthdays of the famous and infamous (with astrological birth charts)

Richard Nolle, Certified Professional Astrologer consultations/orders (AmEx/Discover/MasterCard/Visa) 800-527-8761 data/fax 480-753-6261 - email rnolle@astropro.com Box 26599 - Tempe, AZ 85285-6599 - USA www.astropro.com