Santa and the Penny-Pincher

Give a big welcome to Jupiter as he enters a new sign on December 2, 2019, and begins a year-long astrological transit that will last until December 19, 2020. As the planet of growth and expansion, Jupiter’s energy can enable us to get ourselves and our lives back on track, though of course how its energy comes through to us depends in part on both the sign it is in and the aspects it receives from the other outer planets during the time it transits that sign. Jupiter has been called the Santa Claus of the planets, as at times he brings special and unexpected gifts, but it is much more than just a gift-giver. As one example, this planet is considered to be the ruler of higher education, long-distance travel, philosophy, and religion. Socrates, the noted ancient Greek philosopher, told us that the unexamined life is not worth living, so as the planet of thoughtful philosophizing, this benefic planet can open up our minds and our hearts to help us discover a new sense of purpose or identify a new mission in life. This expansive planet can help us to think and to act in a big way, though on the negative side it can sometimes tilt us in the direction of extravagance, leaving us struggling to pay a growing pile of bills from a shrinking bank account.

In terms of your birth chart, Jupiter is colored by the sign he was in when you were born, the