Quite the wild ride we all experienced this past week! The last three days was the Balsamic Moon phase (letting GO of emotional and other baggage) of the last New Moon cycle that began November 22nd in Sagittarius. We not only started a New Moon cycle then, we did so by starting a new cycle of how and where we seek our higher truth of "WHY am I here? and Where am I going?" regarding faith and trust and what do I truly believe in?
Today's Winter Solstice begins at 4:03 pm MST and the New Moon follows 2.5 hours later at 6:36 pm MST. Solstice means 'sun stands still' where the Sun rises and sets at the same spot in the sky for three days in a row. Today is the shortest day of the year/longest night and begins the New Moon of the Solar year. Not only are we beginning a new Moon cycle today, we are also beginning a new Sun year! Very much creating an "AND" bringing our Sun (Soul self) and our Moon (feelings, habits and intuition) together to take action (Sun) once we know how we feel (Moon).
The Sun leaves the sign of Sagittarius (fire element) and enters 00 degrees of Capricorn (earth element) signaling the Winter Solstice et al. The energy moves from high activity and being out in the world, to slowing right down, napping and eating comfort foods (think hibernating bears now). If you haven't completed your Christmas shopping before today note that your energy levels may not be as high as they were, fueled by the fire of Sagittarius!
Capricorn rules how we go about furthering our material gain WITH integrity vs. power and control and greed. As a cardinal earth sign we now wish to create a NEW foundation to spring forth from, sometimes drilling away the old to bring in the new; sometimes totally starting from scratch. Capricorn likes to use current resources (skills, talents, money, materials) to create something NEW that the world needs NOW. Something that is long-lasting and tangible that everyone can see and use and touch. Until now it has mostly been about money and material things. Times they are achanging...
According to Dane Rudhyar's An Astrological Mandala: The Cycle of Transformations and its 360 Symbolic Phases the symbol for this Winter Solstice and New Moon is: "An Indian Chief Claims Power From the Assembled Tribe". This symbol implies that the religious ideal has now materialized or crystallized into sheer power - the power to lead the community and to ensure its welfare or even its physical survival. The energies released through group cooperation (Libra since the Vernal Equinox in September), deepened and emotionally experienced as forces of great potency (Scorpio - as well as fears!), and given meaning and conscious purpose (Sagittarius) are now stabilized and hierarchized. The power of the group is turned into a measurable and carefully managed "capital". A time comes in many lives when the individual finds himself placed in a situation that allows him to assume power over his comrades, however limited this power may be. Is he ready to do this effectively and responsibly? This is the supreme test of man in society. The capacity latent in every individual to claim and assume AUTHORITY in a vital group situation."
What I find fascinating is that this symbol was first downloaded back in 1925 by Elsie Wheeler. Almost a century later we see the wars and lunacy happening all due to power, greed and control over others, and an individual's potency to attract like-minded souls into a following to create more outward chaos and extremism. All Shadow sides of what has been percolating within and out in the world since June of 2012 when Pluto (planet of Transformation - the transformation or death of power, greed and control over others) started dancing with Uranus (planet of rebelling to be Free to BE ME yet still a part of community and humanity - creating unexpected change). The high side of Pluto is allowing change IN without revolt, walking through the land of fears and ego resistance, embracing the new whilst letting go of old emotional baggage. Connecting passionately with our deep emotional dark side creating and AND world by seeing our Light AND Dark parts of ourselves. The high side of Uranus is creating change for the good of ALL humanity - not just the privileged few.
People ask me how I see the wars out in the world today. I answer by saying As Within So Without - we are waging inner wars re: our true beliefs about WHO we are and WHY we are here. Bottom line is this: it's not about the religion you belong to; it's about knowing and embracing your eternal Soul self - your Spiritual Divine self. Once we are all on board with this concept the better the outside world will be, to each other.
Pluto in Capricorn (since January 2008) and Uranus in Aries (since March 2011) have moved into a squared angle between them, creating much stress and strain to allow freedom for the individual AND integrity with how we collectively build our wee nest eggs (material gain in other words). The latest square occurred December 15th and the last one (seven in total since 2012) occurs March 15, 2015! Whew! We are almost finished with this planetary round of figuring out WHO AM I? What perceived chains or prison do I want to bust out of? And how can I still build my nest egg for the future, leave behind a legacy, AND be integral within myself and outwardly too?
Collectively we are all seeing aspects of our respective lives DYING in preparation for a REBIRTH by Spring of 2015. All of this teeming war within and without started back in the 1960's when Pluto and Uranus were conjunct or in the same sign and degree - in Virgo - all about BEing of service, creating new processes and rules to live and work by (post Second World War plus the Korean War at that time). It was all about LOVE (with lots of addictions via sex, drugs and alcohol mixed therein). Even back then the integrity of the ideal was shadowed.
We as humans are always evolving - we are NOT perfect (Virgo ideal) and a lot of us ask "How many more wars will it take to bring us into the consciousness of LOVE not WAR?" This Winter Solstice / New Moon at 00 degrees of Capricorn heralds NEW Starts and Beginnings - a brand new cycle for the coming month AND year! How many of you are ready to let go of warring (within yourself with your Ego self and between friends, family, community) to embrace more Love, Peace, Harmony and ALLOWING differences to BE just that - differences? Not extremes of either / or - let us come together within the AND world we now have in place. We all have dark and Light within us - yes we do. EMBRACE BOTH.
Capricorn is all about the following:
our future security,
how we handle responsibility (and knowing what we are NOT responsible for is just as important),
creating AND reaching goals we set forth for ourselves,
how we measure success and whether or not we need to be recognized for it,
how well honed our management skills are - no matter what job we have there is always something or someone to be managed,
how we view our so-called 'authority figures' - who gave them the authority in the first place? Did we go out and vote them in? Did we have a say about it to begin with? Did we stand up and give voice to our needs? Did YOU show up or just complain about it because you didn't take responsibility for your rights?
releasing our controlling tendencies - how am I controlling myself or others in my life? And why? What Ego need keeps this rolling in your life? What are you afraid of if you release control and ALLOW and FLOW instead?
We are also experiencing a Grand Trine in Fire - this need to take action. Are you listening to intuitive insights of creative action or need to MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW!? One of the players is Jupiter in Leo, who this year has been expanding our love heart big time and is now Retrograde (Rx) going deep within to heal the opening more lovingly. What I've been calling 'open heart surgery' to bring us all closer to loving Self and Others unconditionally.
Saturn rules Capricorn, and since December 15th has been sitting at 29 degrees of Scorpio (until the 24th) where it asks us to end this current cycle of running from our fears and not taking responsibility for our actions or non-actions. Between now and Christmas Eve take time to walk through your fears with integrity AND feel those deep feelings. LET GO of the OLD stuff - whatever you are still hanging on to (we've been going through this deep Scorpio clearing since August 31, 2012 whew)!
Today at the time of Solstice (4:03 pm MST) write out all of what you wish to leave behind in 2014 and not take with you into 2015. Then burn it and recite all of what you wish for yourself in 2015. Then rejoice bringing in the NEW! Remind yourself what in your life IS Capricorn -oriented and needs renewal NOW. BE more in the HEART rather mind/logical thought and send this out into your community - expand it out past your room, home, street, city, province and into the world at large.
Then do the same for what you want to plan goals wise for the next month for the New Moon in Capricorn. A mini version if you like of what we will experience in 2015! Be mindful and heartfelt and love Self as much as you can from this moment onward.
BLESSED BE!