gal-dem horoscopes: dim the noise and be intentional this Sagittarius season

Subtlety eludes us in December.

The harshness of truth whips against our faces like a cold wind, and is only amplified by the current Mars retrograde through Gemini. We begin the month in Sagittarius season, bringing in a time for us to turn up the volume on our beliefs and seek a means of merging different areas of our lives. We’re dissecting what we often don’t question and growing at a rapid pace. Feuds are fueled by the sharp tongue of a Sagittarian mindset framed within the wit and long-windedness of Gemini’s Martian influence.

Everyone is speaking over one another.

Amidst it all, Sagittarius weaves a thread through everything that reminds us of our interconnectedness. It is a great time for honing in on healthy means of catharsis and confronting strings from your past that are still attached and following you. December’s energetic arc goes from harsh and fast to steady and methodical as a few of the inner planets shift into Capricorn and Mercury retrograde creeps in.

Communication planet Mercury shifts into Capricorn on 6 December, helping us pause before we volunteer our first, or even second, thoughts about a situation. Then, the Gemini full moon that occurs late at night on 7 December is a peak moment of chaos incarnate this month. This final full moon of 2022 (known as the Cold Moon) gets a boost from retrograding Mars, who tests our tempers and adds ammunition to animosities. Add passion to your manifestations, but keep your energy in check.

“Don’t feel bad about delaying your new year’s goals and resolutions until mid-January”

Just a few days later on 10 December, we see divine Venus move into pragmatic Capricorn as well, setting us up for an explosive moment on 31 December when this romantic planet crosses paths with powerful Pluto. This moment can cause us to over-inflate a connection with someone out of loneliness. Watch out for whirlwind affairs with hidden secrets – the perfect dramatic cherry on top of a drama-filled calendar year.

Mercury retrograde through Capricorn begins this month, marking the start of an upcoming year of Mercury retrogrades through earth signs! We’ll start to feel its influence when Mercury enters its shadow on 12 December, but the retrograde doesn’t properly start until 29 December. If burnout and end-of-year feels are overwhelming you during this time, don’t feel bad about delaying your new year’s goals and resolutions until mid-January.

“You have time, whether the world makes you feel that way or not”

Expansive and fortune-bearing Jupiter leaves Pisces on 20 December, making its move into fast-acting Aries. As our dreams begin to feel more pressing, make sure you’re not entering a cycle of guilt fueled by capitalism. You have time, whether the world makes you feel that way or not.

Use the new moon in Capricorn on 23 December to find a new pace and foster a plan. Set intentions around what you want to be most responsible for in the next six months and consider what pleasures you’re willing to sacrifice for this cause. This lunation isn’t about immediacy, but rather making sure what you’re trying to build has legs.

With all of this in mind, here are my thoughts for each of the 12 signs this December!

Sagittarius & Sagittarius Rising

It’s your season once again, Sag. No one keeps it zesty quite like you.

Your only task in December is to be as unapologetically ‘you’ as you can be. This may not feel like a mighty task, as your unmistakable defiance often makes itself known to people long before you enter the room. However, challenges to your choices are likely to crop up this December. Your truth will always be your truth. Hold onto it fiercely and then quickly drop it when you inevitably learn new information. You’re a formidable forever learner and what you want to be yours is at your fingertips this month. Grab it only when the feeling is mutual.

Capricorn & Capricorn Rising

December asks you to find a balance between the extremes, Capricorn.

Deep rest looks like more than just giving yourself an evening to zone out and doomscroll. It’s about turning your body off in a holistic way. Be around people where you don’t have to mask yourself by keeping track of your facial expressions, and eating comfort foods without remorse. Rest without remorse as much as possible in December. Build a cave in your duvet and invite no one in but your childhood plush toy. Lengthen your showers. Stay in your pyjamas for longer in the mornings.

Aquarius & Aquarius Rising

You’re entering a new social era, Aquarius.

Whether you’re flitting between dinner parties or starting new WhatsApp groups, December is a time where you are basking in all of your gossipy glory and seeking moments where you can create new, innovative discourse. You want to be a pioneer. As much as you make it a point to do things differently, you’re not above the thrill of eavesdropping on the train, or falling down a tabloid newshole. Look for stimulation all around you, and scheme your way into a new collective. Treat it all like a game while still tending to people’s sensitivities. Remember, these are friends not chess pieces.

Pisces & Pisces Rising

What broke you this year, Pisces? You’re in a period of reconstruction.

2022 taught you that you have to build things your own way, on your own timeline. Being ‘bad at time’ is actually your superpower, dear fish. Lean into going left field with it all. The lesson you learned might resurface again, but you’ll be more ready for it this time. Make sure you’re well rooted at home during these cold months. Don’t let anyone shame you for your pace, whether it’s telling you you’ve moved on too quickly or urging you to pick up your feet on a project deadline. The calendar for divine timing you’re looking for exists within your intuition.

Aries & Aries Rising

Your interest is easily sparked, but fades notoriously quickly, Aries.

December is about learning to invest in something that you already love, but doing it differently this time. Do you know yourself well enough to predict which interest of yours has longevity? Whether the motivation is pure joy, monetization, or part of your ‘new year, new me’ masterplan, know that it’s okay to not get it right immediately. You just need to try, and only permanently stop trying when you know there’s a deep dissatisfaction within you – not when you’re bored. Ask as many questions as you can.

Taurus & Taurus Rising

A heavy heart can always transform, Taurus.

December is a time where it’s easy for you to accidentally flavour your words and actions with resentment. Passive-aggressiveness is the enemy! Your mind is flexing your elephant memory, which is fully immersed in introspectively replaying or analysing events from your past, as well as escaping into activities which you can be in charge of. Setting boundaries is your best friend this time of year. Often, it’s better to be absent and processing alone rather than grumpy and in the company of others. Focus on what you’ll place more value in next year than you did this year.

Gemini & Gemini Rising

Not everything you say to your lover has to be profound, Gemini.

The intellectual tambour of your voice amplifies this December. Are you trying to become a philosopher or just worried you’ll lose someone’s interest? It’s okay to be the holiday party prankster to get the attention of your crush, but it’s normal to reveal yourself when you’re on metaphorical low battery mode, too. Take a next step into vulnerability with someone you’ve been seeing for a while now. No one is asking you to wear that mask. Take yourself off of the speakerbox when you’re tired.

Cancer & Cancer Rising

Are you ready to fully let go, Cancer?

Whatever is keeping you tethered to the past wants to escape your psyche so badly this December. Given that environments where you feel secure and embraced are where this happens most easily for you, dear water sign, this month is about grounding yourself. Both tending to your physical wellbeing and cultivating a strong routine are must-do’s. Whether it’s integrating conscious breath or giving household items new, consistent homes in your space, it’s the bits and pieces that contribute to a wider image of comfort in your life.

Leo & Leo Rising

December is about reaching new heights in matters of artistic expression and your sexuality, Leo.

Your passion is ignited by Sagitarius season’s flame and no one can stop you from ending up on burning escapades. Are you gallivanting and gregariously filling a room with laughter? Or wrapped up in the embrace of someone else’s bed sheets? Let yourself fall in love without feeling bound to a timeline. Maybe it will last, and maybe it won’t. Regardless, there are so many ways to give love and be loved. Resisting it this month will dull your senses and flatten your sharp intuition. End your year with a metaphoric bang, or literal one.

Virgo & Virgo Rising

You’re allowed to call more than one place home, Virgo.

The rigidity of what that is to you could just be a self-imposed rule. Why not change it? The point of ongoing critique is to improve something, but the process of making something ‘better’ is often a subjective one. You are the subject in your home. Think about the commonalities between spaces that feel like home for you. Is there an abundance of pillows? More house plants than the usual place you’d like to be? Stay in tune with your sensory self, and don’t be afraid to create a Venn diagram of what you prefer in your work environments and your spaces of comfort.

Libra & Libra Rising

Who (or what) do you have a love-hate relationship with, Libra?

Whether it’s a research area you keep dipping your toe in but then turning your back on, or a contentious platonic bond that you just can’t step away from, there’s something chaotic that you’re seeking. That underlying ‘zing’ or feeling that there’s something more to discover. A level of unpredictability. Let December be your new hobby era. Fill your time with ups and downs that don’t throw your mental health for a loop, but keep you stimulated in the same way an erratic reality tv episode would. Look for answers in every corner. Be a magpie.

Scorpio & Scorpio Rising

How scared of money are you, Scorpio?

As someone who constantly wrangles with fearing and being feared, you’re hyper aware of both money’s immense power yet total insignificance. It’s a paradox, and the sharpest blade of capitalism. In December, your attitude around fiscal investment and what is ‘worth your time’ undergoes a shift which helps you see abundance around you in a more stable way. You’re not as stuck as you think you are. Focus on putting funds into joint ventures with people you trust who have proven over time to be reliable and stable in their visions. Cherish and invest in the points where your visions meet.