Horoscope Week:  December 21 - 27, 2020
Photo credit: "Conjunction After Sunset," December 17, 2020, by Alireza Vafa

Astrological Overview: December 21 - 27, 2020

Astrologer Pam Younghans writes this weekly astrological journal based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.

Highlighted Aspects for This Week
All times listed are Pacific Daylight Time. (For Eastern Time, add 3 hours; For Greenwich Mean Time, add 8 hours.)

??MON: Sun enters Capricorn/Solstice 2:02 a.m. PST, Jupiter conjunct Saturn 10:20 a.m. PST
TUE: Mars conjunct Eris, Venus semisquare Pluto, Venus square Ceres
WED: Mars square Pluto, Mercury square Chiron
THU: Mercury trine Uranus
FRI: Sun square Chiron
SUN: Mercury sextile Ceres, Sun trine Uranus

****

WE STAND at the threshold. The long-awaited Grand Conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn will perfect on Monday, December 21, at 10:20 a.m. PST. Jupiter and Saturn align every 20 years, so it is not the mere fact of their alignment that is causing all the excitement. This particular event will be both energetically significant and visually spectacular, for many reasons.


innerself subscribe graphic


Planets are said to be "conjunct" when they are both at the same degree of the zodiac. But the zodiac is a band (not a line) through which the planets appear to travel around the Earth. This means that even when planets are conjunct, one of them can be higher or lower in the sky – at a higher or lower "declination."

When Jupiter and Saturn align on Monday, they are not only conjunct; they are also at almost the same declination. This is why they will appear so close to each other in the sky. At the time of their conjunction, the two planets will be only 0.1° apart – just 1/5 the diameter of a Full Moon.

THIS CLOSE PROXIMITY increases the impact of the Grand Conjunction. To put it in more familiar terms, we can think of most Jupiter-Saturn alignments as being like a New Moon, whereas tomorrow's event is more like a Solar Eclipse. The last time Jupiter and Saturn were this close to each other at the time of their conjunction was 400 years ago, in the year 1623.

Some astrologers believe that when planets are "parallel by declination" (at the same height in the zodiac band), it has even greater impact than a conjunction. Jupiter and Saturn will be exactly parallel on Friday, December 25, at 10:50 a.m. PST. It will be worthwhile to observe ceremonial practices on that day and time as well, and to pay attention to how the energies feel.

JUPITER AND SATURN are known as "social planets," influencing broader themes that affect all of humanity. Their Grand Conjunction impacts the evolution of society and politics for the next two decades.

But the Grand Conjunction also has longer cycle, based on the element in which it occurs. The Grand Conjunction occurs in signs of the same element (fire, earth, air, or water) for about 200 years. During that time, sociopolitical developments are strongly influenced by the qualities of that element.

When the Grand Conjunction changes elements, it is called the "Great Mutation." The 2020 conjunction is one of these Great Mutations.

FOR THE PAST 200 YEARS, the Grand Conjunction has occurred mostly in earth signs. Earth signs tend to move fairly slowly, stay the course, and build on existing foundations. They are grounded in practical reality and are focused on the material world. This has been a primary force behind human evolution for the past two centuries.

Starting tomorrow, the Grand Conjunction will occur mostly in air signs for the next 200 years. Air signs are quite different from earth signs. They value the intellect, knowledge, and ideas. In general, they are objective, perceptive, and communicative.

This shift to air signs means that humanity is at an evolutionary turning point. Making this shift even more dramatic, tomorrow’s Grand Conjunction is in Aquarius, the most progressive of the air signs. This indicates a major shift in our direction as a species.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT with this event? Many are saying that this Grand Conjunction is "the dawning of the Age of Aquarius," and it is certainly an important step in the longer-term shift of ages we are currently experiencing. We think of the words to that song and yearn for a time when "peace will guide the planets, and love will steer the stars."

This Grand Conjunction will have great impact and will alter our trajectory in many ways, most of which I feel will be very positive. It can truly be the beginning of moving into an era when "harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abound," when there are "no more falsehoods or derisions," but "golden living dreams of visions, mystic crystal revelations, and the mind's true liberation."

KEEPING THINGS in perspective, however, we need to remember that this Grand Conjunction is a launching point, not an endpoint. It is the equivalent to the last time the Great Mutation made the shift from earth signs to air signs, which was 800 years ago, in the year 1226. That event, which was also in Aquarius, marked the beginning (not the end) of the shift from the "Dark" Middle Ages into the Renaissance Era.

That being said, I believe the global meditations being planned for December 21 can have great impact, helping us take great leaps forward on this timeline and on our evolutionary path. The focus of the two meditations that I'm aware of – the one at Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the "Age of Aquarius Final Activation"– are both focused on healing Mother Earth and moving humanity into more heart-centered expression. These ideals are of course associated with the Age of Aquarius; to have hundreds of thousands of people all focused on this intention at the same time is incredibly powerful.

THE GRAND CONJUNCTION in Aquarius is an indicator that our species is ready for profound change. It marks a shift point in collective values, when we begin to move away from assigning social status primarily based on material wealth, beauty, and outer achievements (earth). Over the years ahead, we will see more and more value placed on intellect, ideas, scientific thought, intuition, and innovation (air).

We will also see new spiritual ideologies being born, as each individual becomes increasingly aware of their own direct, personal access to higher realms of consciousness. And, as this consciousness expansion occurs, it will inspire and drive great social change.

THE CHANDRA/OMEGA symbols for the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction (at 00°29? Aquarius) are quite profound in how they relate to current circumstances and the ideal of living together in peace. The overview for the two symbols states:

"This degree carries the message that completely opposite ideas can peacefully co-exist, and actually have the potential to enhance and clarify each other."

And here are the two symbols, taken separately, with their basic meanings (emphases mine):

  • Omega: “Deciding to die, a vampire walks into the sunlight.” A way of life has worn itself out; it’s time for a change. This is about overcoming the fear of change and letting go of old patterns.

  • Chandra: “A two-headed calf.” This degree recognizes the divisions that exist within the self, as well as the need to acknowledge and respect all the various aspects of one's being. Whatever parts of ourselves we reject we inevitably come into conflict with, and the only way to resolve this conflict is to reach across our inner divisions and accept every aspect of who we are.

These are the intentions that are being infused into our psyches with the Grand Conjunction. We will be working with themes of overcoming a fear of change, letting go of old patterns, and resolving inner and outer conflict very powerfully in the weeks and months ahead.

THAT FEELS like enough to write about for today, and certainly a lot to digest in one sitting! At the very least, however, I want to mention that the Solstice, when the Sun moves into Capricorn, occurs at 2:02 a.m. PST on December 21. And I can’t ignore a couple of other planetary events that would be the major news for this week, if the headlines weren’t all about the Grand Conjunction.

Basically, we're going to realize that there are still hurdles to be overcome. One of those challenges could simply be waking up on Tuesday and realizing that even after a blissful meditation, with expansive heart-opening and consciousness-raising, those of us living on the physical plane must still chop wood and carry water.

But there appears to be more than that afoot. On Tuesday, warrior Mars is conjunct antagonistic Eris in Aries, and we have a confrontational Mars-Pluto square on Wednesday. Tempers are very short with these aspects, and we can tend to react strongly to any attempts to control our behavior or deny us our individual rights.

If you feel the density and pressure of these influences, do your best to remember that blissful state of meditation you reached not so long ago, and to move into your heart as much as possible. This will help raise you to a higher vibration where you will not be as susceptible to the dramas being played out in mass consciousness, and where you can feel peace and love (Age of Aquarius!) instead of fear or anger.

And, remember that Jupiter and Saturn will be parallel by declination on Friday, representing another opportunity to elevate awareness and create community.

*****

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Want to learn more about the effects of the Jupiter-Saturn Grand Conjunction, as well as the main planetary energies of 2021? My recent "Paradigm Shift" webinar is available for purchase! To learn more, please send an email with "Webinar Replay" in the subject line to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

*****

IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK: You may feel quite excited about sharing your thoughts and ideas this year, and may even be drawn to write, teach, or speak. However, there may be some lingering fears or uncertainty about the validity or value of your ideas, or a lack of self-confidence in your ability to communicate them adequately. This is an opportunity for you to do some inner work, to radiate love to the part of you that feels unsure. Once you give time to that healing process, it will be much easier for you to express yourself with confidence, and you will be inspired to take risks in ways that you may not have expected. (Solar Return Sun conjunct Mercury, square Chiron, trine Uranus)

 ??*****

For previous weeks of the Astrological Journal, click here.

*****

About the Author

Pam YounghansPam Younghans is a professional astrologer, editor, and writer. She lives in a log home northeast of Seattle, Washington with her beloved animal companions. She has been interpreting charts professionally for over 25 years. If you are interested in an astrology reading, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or leave a message at 425.445.3775. For more information about NorthPoint Astrology offerings, please visit northpointastrology.com or visit her Facebook page.

Related Books

Video/Meditation with Elsie Kerns: Welcome Winter Solstice and the Amazing Jupiter-Saturn in Aquarius!
{vembed Y=WNcE92XR_Ls}