Welcome to the first issue of Magickalystics News, our new monthly newsletter!  We're a bit late getting our premeire addition "off the presses", but we hope you'll find it was worth the wait.  Our feature essay this month is on the gift of darkness and why it can be good to spend at least a little time alone this holiday season.  Of course, we also have the latest information on our store, including new items and Yuletide specials.  So read on...

Contents:
1. New Arrivals, Updates, and Specials
2. Turning of the Wheel:  Through the Dark
3. Astrologically Speaking: December Forecast
4. In Our Next Issue
5. Information and Credits

Through the Dark
by Amalthea 

Having a fairly temperate climate (which is arguable during the hot, humid months of Summer we are blessed with in this region), the greater Washington, DC area has a very brief but charged encounter with Autumn that lasts from about the last week of October and ends somewhere in November.  I say "somewhere" because although it's very easy to pinpoint just when Autumn arrives here, it seems to slip quietly out a side door when no one is looking.  While it's here, we experience the joy of one or two days of crisp but clear weather in which to watch the pagentry of color that accompanies the Green Man as he changes his garb in preparation for Winter.  As Winter enters the scene, however, all is wet.  Wet sidewalks.  Wet grass.  Wet streets.  Wet fallen leaves.  Even wet snow.

And dark.  Twighlight comes around 5:00, which means that the height of the evening rush hour takes place in darkness.  I've noticed that people seem in even more of a hurry to get home in the Fall and Winter, whether they're driving or walking, whether it's cold or mild, whether it's raining or not.  All Earth's creatures, including humans, feel the imperative to hunker down with their families and their provisions as the weather turns cold and the skies dark.  However, we humans tend to follow schedules that have little or nothing to do with Her calendar--it is what truly separates us from our "wild" counterparts--and so the commute from work becomes one of the few times many of us can act with unbridled enthusiasm on our natural impulses.  (Another instance is Summer cookouts, but we'll save that essay for another issue.) 

So we hurry home to our loved ones, where we cover every available inch of houses, trees, fences--even lamposts--with strings of bright, colorful lights.  We hold family and community celebrations where we feast together, exchange gifts and good wishes for the coming new year.  We sing the songs of a thousand different faiths that all have the same basic message:  Hope is alive, Light will return to us, and the darkness will fade.  Many loudly and joyfully proclaim this the "Season of Light." 

What so many either fail to acknowledge, or else actively reject, is that this is also the "Season of Darkness," when the climate, the temperature, the very turning of our little globe itself urge us to go within and spend time alone to review and reflect on our lives.  Instead of raging "against the dying of the light," we can take the opportunity--if we dare--to mourn our losses, honestly look at who we are, where we are going, and where we have neglected to go.  The darkness is the Goddess's scrying glass, which She holds out for us as a gift to help us in this process.  If we peer into Her black mirror, we have the chance to see a little of ourselves as She sees us: small, fragile creatures in the midst of becoming, while struggling against the hard shells and heavy chains we invariably create for ourselves.

Isn't it a relief it is to know that we can slow down and indulge in a little time for ourselves during this busy season?  That we can make use of this gift now to enrich our lives, knowing that it will, in turn, allow us to be even more generous and giving to others because we have so much more to share? 

Many of us, whether Pagan or not, will be holding vigil through the longest night of the year this month, waiting for the first light of dawn.  Some may curl up close to a warm fire, only occassionally checking to see whether it's time to greet the "new" Sun.  Others, like myself, will observe the night's passage less sporadically.  What we see when we look out at the blue-black sky will be different for each of us, but for those of us who seek them, there are as many messages of Hope and Grace to be found in the darkness of the heavens as there are in Her stars.

December Forecast
by Amalthea

Saturn is in the midst of a retrograde cycle that started October 25 in Cancer, where it has been since June. A planet is said to be ???in retrograde??? when it appears, because of its position in orbit relative to the Earth, to be going backwards. When Saturn goes direct again on March 7, 2004??”a little over four months??”it will have ???moved back??? just seven degrees in the same sign! Saturn typically goes through one of these long retrograde cycles every eight months. Saturn rules Capricorn, which expresses its qualities of traditionalism, authoritarianism, loyalty, and respect for society??™s mores and institutions. Like the Emperor of the Tarot, Saturn??™s role is to teach us about responsibility and authority. When it is in retrograde, the ???lessons??? can become quite painful. Neptune, which ended a retrograde cycle just prior to Saturn??™s, is a much slower mover, having entered Aquarius in January 1998 and remaining there until February 2012! Yet throughout the month of December, she and Saturn seem to be engaged in a dance of sorts. The movements of these two planets through the Zodiac may be incremental, but they color the energies of every other heavenly body that comes in contact with them. Thus they have an enormous effect on individuals who have those planets and their associated signs prominently placed in their charts. Mercury, ruler of communications and travel, also has a large part to play this month, especially as it goes into a retrograde cycle starting December 17 and ending January 6, 2004.

The first half of December is probably the best time to take care of business and contractual matters, as well as holiday shopping. The Full Moon in Gemini on December 8, opposing the Sun in Sagittarius, however, could mean trouble. Both Geminis and Sagittarians tend to go to extremes when they come into contact (ever see the effect of a strong wind on a wildfire?) and neither cares about the ???minor details??? that actually make things happen. Gemini??™s ruling planet, Mercury, is in Capricorn until December 30, which makes these usually quick-witted natives vulnerable to the effects of Saturn??™s retrograde. Next, consider the strong emotional influence of the Moon on Gemini??™s sometimes sharp tongue and Sag??™s equally quick temper??¦ Okay, everybody, duck! Of course, with Saturn in retrograde, life won??™t be all that pleasant for Capricorns, either. The presence of airy Gemini and Venus in this decidedly fixed earth sign in opposition with Capricorn??™s own ruling planet of Saturn in Cancer only adds brings more uncertainty for the usually sure-footed Goat.

Remember what I said about Saturn and Neptune??™s ???dance???? On December 14, Saturn makes a quincunx aspect with Neptune. A quincunx is formed when two planets, usually ones whose elements and qualities are in extreme opposition to one another, are 150 degrees from each other on the ???Zodiacal belt.??? Because of the polarities of the planets forming this Aspect, the result is usually uneasiness or upset of some kind. In this case, the usually pragmatic, steady-as-a-rock and down-to-earth qualities of Saturn meet Neptune??™s shifting mists and fluid, watery dreams. There may be emotional confusion, especially around home and family issues, and extra care should be taken to remain grounded and let minor irritations slide before they loose proportion. A quincunx is considered a ???minor??? Aspect and those with heavy Capricorn and Pisces influences in their charts are likely to be affected more than others. However, given the strong influence these particular two planets are currently having, all should be careful to review plans for potential pitfalls, missing steps, and overlooked details.

Mars, which entered Pisces in mid-June (and where you can well imagine that it wasn??™t very happy), remains there until December 16, further underlining the inadvisability of quickly launching into new projects. Instead, put more energy into research and concentrate on fine tuning plans to match their original intent. Better still, spend time on personal and spiritual development, meditation, and being mindful (in the Buddhist sense of the word). Mars enters Aries on December 16, which could bring about feelings of impatience and irritability at how slow things seem to be going. Try to keep an even temper throughout the later half of the month and don??™t expect recent efforts to bear fruit just now. Patience is the watchword!   December 16 also finds the waning moon (last quarter) in Virgo, ruled by Mercury, in conjunction Jupiter, Sagittarius??™ ruling planet. This is definitely a classic Odd Couple pairing, with Virgo??™s insistence on cool, analytical thinking and details at sore odds with the fiery, free-spirited nature of Sagittarius. Prepare for more cannon fire! (I have personal experience with what can happen: I??™m a Virgo and my older sister is a Sagittarius. We shared a bedroom throughout our childhood and argued with each other non-stop until she moved into her own apartment after high school.) The moon enters Libra??”and a much more favorable aspect with Jupiter??”on December 17, which is a good thing, because Then on December 17, Mercury goes retrograde in Capricorn. 

There are about four Mercury retrograde cycles a year and each lasts about three weeks (the latest cycle will end when Mercury goes ???direct??? again on January 6). Gemini and Virgo are the most vulnerable to the direct effect of these cycles, but the rest of the Zodiac feels it too, usually in the form of communication problems and disrupted travel plans, and this time is no exception. However, the special concerns of Capricorn in opposition to those of Cancer this month puts a strong emphasis on the need for balance between emotional and material security, family and career, and the sometimes conflicting demands placed on us by our loved ones and the authority figures in our lives. Communication with family and significant others may be difficult and travel plans may need last minute adjustments, so make flexible arrangements for returning home after the holidays! As always, put off major decisions and purchases if it all possible.  Mercury also exerts a strong infuence on electronics, so make sure you back up any important data on your computers and PDAs.  Oh, and do check the batteries in your smoke detectors while you're at it!

There is a short reprieve from all the personality clashes, miscommunications, and technical difficulties, however. With the moon in party loving Sagittarius and lovely, social Venus in Aquarius on December 21, the timing is just right for Yuletide celebrations.  Leos, who may resent not being in the middle of the action this month, can now channel all that energy into hosting wonderful gatherings. Venus is even able to coax some of the absent-minded, professorial-type Aquarians away of their studies to mix and mingle with the rest of us! At the Winter Solstice (December 22), the Sun enters Capricorn and Mercury comes into position opposite Capricorn??™s ruling planet. This double-retro whammy challenges the Goat to take a serious look at how they relate to others and what messages their words and deeds actually convey. If there are problems in relationships, now might be the best time to work towards change. The moon enters Capricorn on the 23rd, leading to an emotional release as these new realizations hit home.

When the moon leaves one sign and before it enters the next, it is said to be ???Void of Course.??? Imagine an unmanned hot air balloon that somehow becomes untethered and begins to float away.  Likewise, when the moon is between the signs that ???anchor??? it and shape the expression of its qualities, emotions (over which the moon rules) can lose their definition and become hard for us to understand or control. On the positive side, there can also be a release of tensions that allows more positive emotions to come to the fore. Our significant others may suddenly surprise us with an unexpected, romantic gesture, or we may indulge in a whim and go ice skating for the first time in years. These periods can be anywhere from a few seconds to one or more days in length. In December, the primary Void periods to be aware are December 24 to December 25 and December 28 to December 29.

The month may well end with a final great burst of fireworks on December 30, when Mercury enters??”or I should say ???accidentally??? bumps into??”Sagittarius. Remember the earlier unpleasantness that Sagittarius experienced, first directly with Gemini, then later with Virgo through it??™s ruling planet, Jupiter? Well, a repeat of all that ugliness is entirely possible, only more so, now that Mercury is in retrograde (and again I say, ???Duck!???). If that weren??™t enough, four masculine planets??”the Sun, Mars, Saturn, and Mercury??”are all involved in a major ???square-off.??? It doesn??™t actually help matters that Mars is in conjunct with the feminine Moon or that Saturn is in watery Cancer; to these guys, that just means a more aggressive stance is needed to compensate.  To avoid trouble, I would recommend small, low key get-togethers on New Year's Eve rather than large parties where major amounts of alcohol are served.  Once the warfare is over, everyone else can come out of hiding to look for survivors, pick up the fallen pieces, and work on getting things back to what passes for normal, on this planet anyway!In the meantime, I ask all those on the sidelines to please keep track of all those important details the combatants will undoubtedly overlook (even Virgos like me). After January 6, double-check everything again, including the not-so-fine-print of contractual agreements, just to be sure.

After all that, dare I say it? Oh well, Happy Holidays!

January 2004 is just weeks away and we're already working on the next issue of the newsletter.  In addition to the latest updates from the store and feature articles, we're putting together something on the Tarot which we hope will become a regular column.

Till then, Merry Part till we meet again.  Bright Blessings to all and may you have a wonderful Solstice Season!

You have either finished reading, or have just scrolled past Magickalystics News , a monthly e-publication of Magickalystics Online Metaphysical Store.  The manifestation of Magickalystics and this newsletter are made possible by the mysterious and arcane Webweaving Arts as cast by Amalthea, Editor & Contributing Author.   Address your comments to feedback@magickalystics.com.

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