Pages

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Astro Tips for December 2014

“Don’t you know yet?
It’s your light that lights the world.” By Rumi
The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night in the northern hemisphere.  This event has been observed and celebrated for thousands of years. The return of the Sun gives us hope that life will go on.  The days will gradually lengthen.  Sun gods and goddesses come out of their caves.  We light candles during the longest night of the year.  We remember those who have passed on to another realm.  We become the light.

This year the Winter Solstice and the New Moon in Capricorn occurred on the same day, December 21th.  At any new moon, seeds are planted for the next life cycle.  The pinecone and the acorn are symbols of the continuation of life throughout the winter cycle. We remember to have faith. The Winter Solstice also initiates the energy of the next few months (until the Spring Equinox).  The astrology of the New Moon/Winter Solstice is abundant in Capricorn energy, the sign that moves us into the next season.  The Sun, Moon, Mercury, Pluto and Venus are lined up in Capricorn, the last earth sign of the zodiac.  Capricorn can climb the highest mountain.  If you are a Capricorn born between December 21 and early January, these planets in your sign invite you to have a board meeting with yourself!  Make plans, set goals, write things down, and get passionate about your life.

For the rest of us, we have Capricorn somewhere in our horoscopes.  We are motivated in some area of life to make things happen. Capricorn utilizes all that is available to build structures to contain and hold what we value.  The highest Capricorn act is to do the job because it needs to be done, not because we should do it or because we will receive honor, fame or money from it.  Think about your life and ponder what area(s) (family, career, children, health & healing, making a living, finding friendship/community, spiritual development) seems to call you right now for deep concentration and focus.  Capricorn is practical.  Capricorn is not a dreamer sign. It is a ”do it” energy.  Break down any problems or goals into components and take one step at a time.

The other big news here at the end of 2014 is about planet Saturn.  Saturn has been visiting the sign of Scorpio for two years.  This Tuesday, December 23, Saturn steps into Sagittarius.  It will return for a final visit in Scorpio during June, July, August and part of September, at which time it steps into Sagittarius for two full years.

Saturn is about reality. What you see is what you get. Life may be “maya” (illusion) but a wall is still a wall.  Until the discovery of Uranus with the use of a telescope in the 1700’s, Saturn was the last planet visible in the sky. Hence Saturn was the boundary of our known sky and universe.  Saturn still contains this symbology of limitation and boundary, and of course life lessons.  In Scorpio, Saturn’s lessons pertain to life’s mysteries. What can I know? What can I not know? Issues of stagnation, intimacy, resources, elimination, release and the big questions about death can be on the agenda when Saturn visits Scorpio. Where do I stand on these issues?  How do I deal with my own darkness? How do I keep my physical energy alive and pumping?  Can I rejuvenate after loss, defeat, and illness or near death experience?  Saturn in Scorpio tempts us to go inward and to hold on to trouble.  We must learn to let go, breathe, and release what no longer belongs in our life.

When Saturn spends time in Sagittarius, the focus shifts to belief systems, the law, philosophy and religion.  Saturn can make one stubborn and stagnant.  If you are a Sagittarius person, pay attention to what you believe and how attached you are to it.  Can you be open to alternative ways of thinking?  During the next two and one half years, we might see a lot of hubris on the part of people who hold tight to their religious beliefs and their social agendas.  Keeping an open mind will be very important.   It is imperative to make our priority the search for truth. Can we ever know the total truth?  Maybe not, but we can hold the ideal of seeking it.  Sagittarius rules far away places, including space travel.  If we aren’t going to travel in a physical space ship, we might find we are travelling in our dreams or we are becoming more open to the life that exists in this vast universe. These are the higher domains of Sagittarius.  Keeping ourselves locked into our ego beliefs will be tempting during Saturn’s time in Sagittarius. The challenge is to break free of ego and open the mind, heart and soul.

Planets Uranus and Pluto made another exact encounter this month (the encounter is called a square aspect, one of tension and irritation).  In our personal lives and on the collective stage we see irritation; we see sudden death for no good reason; we see flaws in our judicial system; we see the growth of oligarchy and the shrinking of a solid middle class to help keep some balance; we see unimaginable suffering. The fight for change (Uranus) and the struggle to let go of what doesn’t work anymore (Pluto) is slow and painful to watch (and be participating in).  We put our energy where passion calls and hope to make a small difference. Meanwhile, we try to practice kindness to all who come within our realm. 

We close this year with hope and faith, based on strong earthy Capricorn.  But we also enter a new year with the wisdom that beliefs and value systems based on closed mindedness and selfishness are hard to change.

What we can do is remember Rumi’s poem.  It is our light that lights the world. Together our lights are very bright and getting brighter.



Friday, December 5, 2014

Astro Tips for December 6th Full Moon in Gemini-2014

The Full Moon in Gemini occurs on Saturday, December 6th.  A full moon always opposes the Sun, in this case, a Sagittarius Sun.  Gemini is gobs and gobs of information.  Gemini is curious and full of details.  Sagittarius wants to know why, or at least wants to understand the big picture.  The Sun, Mercury and Venus trio in Sagittarius lifts our spirits.  The Moon in Gemini encourages communication. Some of that communication is with others and some communication needs to be internal.

These few days under the influence of the full moon, we may have a busy, busy mind trying to figure out the big picture of our lives.  Neptune gets involved with both the Sun and Moon and causes us to have confusing thoughts AND big dreams.  However, this energy is excellent for meditation.  I just attended Kenny Kolter’s Gong Meditation at Dallas Yoga Center.  Strong energy!  Sagittarius is one of the rulers of music—the celestial vibrations of music. Gemini is the details and the dexterity of making music while Sagittarius is the overall effect and meaning.  I came away from the Gong Meditation full of energy, ideas (there’s the Gemini), visions and love.  Keep in mind that this time of year is full of superb music, much of it coming from higher realms of the cosmos.  In December, while the Sun is moving through the constellation of Sagittarius, it lines up with the center of our galaxy.  Perhaps December is special because we are receiving special energy from our Milky Way galaxy.

Neptune involved with the Sun and Moon might bring beautiful dreamtime to some folks.  Others might be challenged to address problems and/or addictions with this configuration.  We want our holiday season to be fun and happy.  We might fall back on old strategies that help us cope with anything that stands in the way of our expectations and ideals.  This year the old strategies are bigger than usual because Neptune helps us go to a place of self-denial (like my behavior isn’t that bad!). Don’t forget, though, that Neptune also brings inspiration and beauty. It just depends on the situation and the individuals involved. This holiday season has the potential to bring spiritual uplifting.  Neptune is the planetary energy that helps us connect with the spiritual dimension.

There is big triangle in the element of fire.  The Sun, Jupiter and Uranus all in the fire signs give us enthusiasm and optimism.  We feel like we can accomplish any dream.  As the Sun continues it journey it eventually reaches the solid ground of Capricorn.  The Winter Solstice, on December 21, encourages us to embody the beautiful energy of life on earth.  The Winter Solstice holds us in the moment as we contemplate the joy and seriousness of our life.  We begin to understand what ideas and dreams can manifest physically.


Enjoy the full moon in Gemini.  Socializing this weekend brings people together for common goals.  Let the tribes connect!