Today sees the opposition of the Moon and Saturn. This will last up until midnight GMT on the 16th of December, and for the last twelve hours of this conjunction the Moon will also be aligned with Uranus.

Usually the traits of a Moon/Saturn alignment concern reserved and limited emotions with controlled discipline and purpose. It can also involve poor self confidence with shy diffidence and is often linked with depressive, rigid, or deeply self conscious moods and emotions.

On this occasion however the mood pattern is also highly influenced by the alignment of the Sun and Mercury which is currently at a peak. For some days now this has resulted in an increased level of awareness with powerful mental and emotional energy as well as highs levels of nervous restlessness. As well as increased alertness this can paradoxically give way to emotional frustration, fatigue and tiredness as so many thoughts, and energy can get bottle necked into a confusion of impulses that if not regulated properly will result in tired and lethargic moods and emotions. In addition there may be a strong need for variety and change, and where this may not be possible or ones ideas become muddied and unclear there may be nervous upsets, agitation and turmoil.

Under these circumstances there may be a strong urge to take the edge off the atmosphere through alcohol, but this may quickly lead to over-excitable moods that could become difficult or objectionable to others.

On the more positive side there may be enhanced spiritual and mystical awareness with increased levels of perception. This atmosphere will also favour pursuits of an artistic or creative nature as well as all forms of expressional activity.

It is worth pointing out that the Sun, Jupiter, Pluto and Mercury are now all to be found within just 7 degrees of one another, and soon will converge even closer together, and conjoin in opposition to Mars, thus bringing a spectacular end to the year in what has occasionally been a year of intense and often very difficult planetary alignments. This latest set of alignments will lead to a particularly complex mood situation, which ironically will come to a peak around Christmas Day, as the Full Moon comes just the day before. It inevitably means that last minute Christmas preparations will be even more fraught with stress and anxiety than normal and some allowance will have to be made for moods and attitudes that may not always reveal the best of festive cheer and goodwill.

Tomorrow (December 16th) sees one of the more dangerous of the routine monthly alignments with the conjunction between Moon and Uranus, but more will be said of this in the next alert bulletin.

Alert is 7. Moon 31% illuminated.