For charismatic, moral, and curious Sagittarius: Here’s what you can expect to enjoy, work through, and receive throughout the month of December.

The month of December begins with a new Moon in your celestial domain, increasing this dark lunar phase’s reflective and introspective energy in your daily life. Paired with Jupiter retrograde, which stays in effect throughout the entire month, the stars seem to be pushing you toward new beliefs and encouraging you to let go of old ones. No one is immune to change, Sagittarius. Someone as aspirational as you should be able to appreciate the long-term benefits of a temporarily uncomfortable evolutionary process. 

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Still, discomfort is discomfort. In addition to the new Moon flying through your celestial domain on December 1, the dark Moon also forms a direct opposition to Jupiter retrograde. Just because a change will be positive in the end doesn’t mean it will feel that way in the beginning. Don’t let these initial trepidations deter you from moving forward anyway. If you try and wait for that ideal moment when everything falls in line and there are no doubts in your mind, you’ll likely be waiting forever. Sometimes, we have to proceed down the path even if we can’t see exactly where it ends. You’ve got this. 

Not long after this potent first day, troublesome Mercury retrograde directly opposes your retrograde ruling planet, too. Mercury retrograde is infamous for its ability to conjure miscommunications, tech errors, and trouble expanding, whether physically via travel or mentally via education. Be wary of buying into any belief system too strongly during this time. If something is worth keeping around, a few extra moments to analyze what’s in front of you won’t harm anything. However, on the off chance that there is something amiss here, your future self will be grateful that you took the time to have a closer look. 

A paradoxical celestial occurrence takes place on December 6 when a motivational waxing crescent Moon forms an auspicious trine with Jupiter as Mars goes retrograde. Mars retrograde is somewhat similar to Mercury’s in that it can disaffect progress, decrease motivation, and generally zap energy levels. Given the Moon’s action-oriented energy, this alignment suggests that the actions you take in the first week of the month won’t necessarily produce the results you were after. That’s okay, Sagittarius. You found out one way that decidedly doesn’t work. This gets you closer to success, whether or not it feels like it. 

The following day proves to be just as potent as Neptune goes direct and your ruling planet faces off with the Sun under your celestial domain. Neptune’s shift out of retrograde swings emotional and imaginative focus toward the outside world once more. How can you connect the dreams inside your head to the reality around you? As the previous retrograde period pushed subconscious feelings to the surface, what did you end up doing with them? It’s time to re-ground yourself in the real world. 

Just before the full Moon, the waxing gibbous Moon conjoins with Jupiter retrograde in Gemini. This lunar phase calls for an analytical, managerial approach to life. Figure out what is and isn’t working, and then more importantly, do something about them. The stars urge you to consider whether you should adjust your approach or proceed as usual. Doing so will make the emotional intensity of the next day’s full Moon less overwhelming. And given this month’s full Moon placement, keeping your cool is critical. 

The Moon reaches its peak fullness on December 15 in mutable Gemini. This lunar placement can manifest as a cosmic blessing or a curse. Try not to make your mind up about which it is so quickly. On the one hand, a full Moon in Gemini helps keep emotions malleable and flexible. It will become easier to adopt new ideas and perspectives—even ones we might have previously considered to be a diametric opposition to our values. This can be a valuable exercise for personal evolution. 

But on the other hand, there’s a reason why Gemini tends to get a bad rap among the Zodiac. Gemini’s mutability can be used for good or bad, depending on who’s wielding it. Being able to shapeshift to your surroundings isn’t always as valuable as having a firm, rooted sense of self. The full Moon in Gemini opens your heart to all possibilities, which can also result in indecision. Remember that much of the timelessness you feel regarding these decisions is a self-made construct. You have more breathing room than you think. If you don’t have an answer right away, then take a night to sleep on it. 

The cosmos offers a much-needed boost of mental clarity on the day of the full Moon as Mercury returns direct in Leo. Cloudy communication and vague conflicts will begin to clear and sharpen, respectively, helping you navigate these dynamics more swiftly and thoughtfully. The full Moon might be playing the field and making you feel all the feelings. But Mercury’s directional shift will help narrow your focus to where it can be the most useful. You have the right to ask questions and dig a little deeper, Sagittarius.

From December 24 to 26, conflict might increase as your ruling planet forms a challenging square with Saturn followed by a direct opposition to Mercury. Maintaining obligations and responsibilities will become more difficult. However, Mercury’s presence on December 26 asks an important question: are all of these obligations ones you really need to continue to uphold? Under the influence of your retrograde ruling planet, now is an ideal time for experimenting and trying new things. Just see how they feel. 

We end the year under a new Moon in Capricorn. The second restful lunar phase of the month comes at an opportune time for reflecting, recharging, and resting up for the new year ahead. Capricorn’s pragmatic and hard-working influence lends a healthily skeptical lens toward our life path and the people walking alongside us. Reflect on what you’ve accomplished in the last year. Consider the ways you might go even further without pressuring yourself to act immediately. Planning is just as critical of a step.

Thus concludes your monthly highlights. For more specific celestial analyses, make sure to read your daily and weekly horoscope as well. Good luck, Sagittarius! See you next month.