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Winter Solstice, December 21, 2012

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   This Winter Solstice is astrologically special because of the planetary energies involved.   Winter begins when the Sun enters Capricorn.   This year, the Solstice Sun is close to Pluto in Capricorn, acknowledging the necessity of evolutionary change in our consciousness (the Sun).   Pluto and his wrecking crew are sweeping through the old ruling structures of our world, laying bare the rot and corruption that are part of any aging system.   The old system cannot handle the new energy.   New wine cannot be put into old wineskins.   Our collective self (the Sun) knows it needs regeneration, one of Pluto's gifts if we are humble enough to ask.   So it will be interesting to watch how differently we deal with our complex issues.

   The Solstice Moon is in Aries, close to Uranus in Aries, the other energy of our transformational square of the 60s Uranus/Pluto cycle.   We've already had two challenging squares between the planets of revolution and evolution, with the third of seven squares coming on May 20, 2012.    Uranus in Aries is a wake-up call to each of us, a call to take on a larger identity (Aries), a sense of destiny and purpose.   With Uranus joining the Aries Moon, we will want to do something bigger, something new.   But also something that fits who we are.   That's where our mythological imagination comes into play.   We need a mythic identity.

  Aries is the pioneer, and the Moon tells us what nurtures us.   Aries Moon is nurtured by spontaneity, by leadership, by using our heads as well as our hearts.   With the Aries Moon in a waxing square to the Capricorn Sun, we are challenged to figure out how our unique talents can help rebuild our society and our world.   Our fiery, impetuous Moon will want to make it happen now.   Our grounded Sun will have to find the best ways to use our Moon's energies to build it.  

The Sabian symbol for the Sun at 1* Capricorn is: A Native American chief claims power from the assembled tribe.   Our biggest test in life comes when we are asked to assume power in a collective situation.   How will we handle it?   Will it go to our heads and make us powerful?   Or will we become a channel for the power and so become full of power?

The Sabian symbol for the Moon at 15* Aries is: A Native American weaving a ceremonial blanket.   How synchronistic to have both degrees using Native American imagery.   Native Americans live close to nature and honor Mother Earth.   (That is the first thing we need to change--our relationship with the Earth.)   So these symbols remind us that leadership and spirituality are of the Earth and should probably follow Earth's laws.   This image of weaving a ceremonial robe beautifully describes what emotional state is needed now.   We have to weave our life's tapestry into an embodiment of wholeness and holiness.   This is a symbol of the possibility of the fulfillment of desire.   Our desire nature is strong in Aries Moon.   What do we desire?   Safety for our children, the love of our people, the creativity of our work?   Make your desire big enough to fill up your new story.

   The Capricorn Sun forms a mentally energizing sextile (60*) with Neptune in Pisces right after the Solstice, reminding us to use the power of the imagination, vision and dreams to aid in our transformation.    Neptune's spiritual vision adds the aspiration and intuition to find the right expression for our visions.   Our idealism is strong now and this energy can help us come up with brilliant solutions to our problems.   The Sabian symbol for Neptune at 1* Pisces is: In a crowded marketplace, farmers and middlemen display a great variety of products. Neptune urges us to take full advantage of the times and take our skills and vision into the world and see where they fit.

   The Aries Moon forms a trine (120*) with mental Mercury in Sagittarius, helping us express what we're feeling, tuning us into our beliefs and magnetizing opportunities for growth. The Sabian symbol for the Mercury at 15*Sagittarius is: The groundhog looking for its shadow on Ground Hog's Day, February 2nd.   February 2 is the day when we read "signs' that tell us if Spring is on the way.   This symbol emphasizes the value of anticipating new turns of events and possibilities.   The Mind can tune into planetary rhythms just as easily as economic forecasts to plan ahead for possibilities.  

Now for the other big planetary aspect forming this Winter Solstice.   There is an aspect between three or more planets that is called a Yod, the name of one of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and the first letter in the unspeakable name of God, written as YWHW.   Astrologers call the Yod the Finger of God or the Sword in the Stone.   I like the image of the Sword in the Stone, because the Yod only comes into play if the right person at the right time draws it out of the stone.   Although this is a collective chart, we can each be that right person if we handle the energies that make up the sword.   If we do, the sword of Truth will be ours to weld.   Swords are associated with the air element, our mental faculties.   When we use our minds correctly, as the servant of our heart's knowledge and intuition, it defends our Truth.

This Solstice Yod is almost exact.   The two planets in a   60* sextile aspect are Saturn in Scorpio (water) and Pluto in Capricorn (earth).   While sextiles naturally work together because their elements are compatible, this sextile has an added ingredient: Saturn is in Pluto's home sign and Pluto is staying in Saturn's sign.   Living in each other's homes, they work together more smoothly and easily.   Saturn in Scorpio focuses our attention on the problem of intimacy with others, showing us our Shadow side as well as the Shadow side of our relationships; Saturn gives us the determination to keep going and get the job of healing our emotional wounds done.   Meanwhile Pluto says, "let go of control so life's power can come in and change you'; watch Pluto shatter old expectations of what the world is all about, testing for weakness in both our social structures and our behavior patterns.   With the sextile's constructive energy helping these planets work together, these two energies can help us heal old emotional wounds that keep us fearful of change and show us how to strengthen our weaknesses and let go of what no longer serves us.   If we are willing to do the work!

The third planet involved in a Yod is called the apex planet, and it represents an energy that requires a more purposeful focus to trigger its full expression.   The apex planet of this Winter Solstice 2012 Yod is Jupiter in Gemini, the planet of expansion, curiosity and belief in the sign of the Mind.   An undisciplined Jupiter in Gemini is scatters and unfocused, vacillating between too many options, lost in too much useless information.   But Jupiter in Gemini can also expand the Mind, open us to new concepts and ideas, and propose new categories of understanding and organization.   It can open up our intuition and allow us to see the meaning of our experiences.  

Both Pluto and Saturn form the base of the Yod, grounding in the needed focus.   Pluto and Saturn each form a 150* aspect with Jupiter, called an inconjunct.   Both of these planets pull Jupiter into the depths, instead of leaving him flitting along from one thing to another.   With Jupiter at the apex, we are called to expand our consciousness, to broaden our social engagement and to express the truths of life.   This sword in the stone can point out where our hypocrisy lies and where our shadow shows, both in relationships and in our outer dealings.   We will be forced to keep an open mind this year as new ideas and possibilities come into play.   We have to learn patience, the patience to bring our ideals down to Earth through endurance and proper timing.   And of course, a little common sense!

This aspect is all about making adjustments to our perceptions, adjustments to our beliefs and adjustments to how we think about our society.   The frustration inherent in this aspect will make us uncomfortable until we do something about it.  

There is a 4th point that lies opposite the apex planet.   It is the focus of the new orientation this Yod is looking for.   And that focal point is Venus in Sagittarius.   Venus is the Goddess of Love, Sexuality, Wisdom and Wholeness. Venus in Sag tells us that we are all connected, that cosmic laws make us part of this Earth we live on, and that if we want to prosper, then we need to pay attention to them and learn to live by them.   If Venus, the energy of love and connection, is our new orientation in life, than this is the year of the return of the Goddess, the feminine wisdom which will help us ground our vision, for feminine spirit incarnates.

This Sword in the Stone can help you make new and better decisions about your relationships and give you a new compassion and understanding for what others are going through.   We can use this sword to cut away the old narrow expectations about love and relationship. We can use this sword to connect us with like-minded individuals who are working toward the same social goals we hold dear.   This sword can help us look at our society and finally deal with all those things we have left in the shadows: rape, drugs, sexuality, greed, hypocrisy, death and violence.   And it can help us figure out a way to share our resources so that we build a strong and vibrant society based on true equality between the sexes.

The Sabian symbol for Saturn at 9* Scorpio is: A dentist at work. This symbolizes the work that needs to be done so that we get a better grasp of how we relate to the world.   Our teeth help us digest our experiences.   Our society's nourishment hasn't helped our teeth or our ability to understand and digest life.   For the next 2 years as Saturn transits through Scorpio, we'll get a chance to change that.

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Cathy Pagano is a spiritual advisor and Jungian psychotherapist, storyteller, author and teacher. She is the author of a book on the return of the Goddess, "Wisdom's Daughters: How Women Can Change the World". Cathy trained at the C. (more...)
 

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