SOLAR SPOTLIGHTS
The Sun on Solstice| DECEMBER 21st
Winter Solstice will begin at 1:49pm PST on December 21st this year—as the sun moves from the last degree of Sagittarius and into Capricorn… marking the end of autumn and the beginning of winter (in the northern hemisphere), as well as the longest night of the year—which also celebrates that from this day forward, the light will return inch by inch, day by day, until it is noticeably much more bright… and eventually grows much more warm.
On this day of Solstice, the moon is applying the sun from Sagittarius, to conjoin for the new moon on the 23rd… the sun follows both Venus and Mercury, as they move closer and closer still to Pluto—the ultimate darkest night of the season. Uranus is rising, as is the mathematical point that is the NN, while a number of squares are being connected between the likes of Venus and Chiron, the sun and Jupiter, while the moon moves to oppose a retrograded Mars.
This astrologically set scene is much earthier and cardinal this year—suggesting that this first day of winter could describe an urgency or determined need to feel secure or gain warmth, or an advance… or a more advantageously stabilizing constitution toward any impatience or haphazardly motivations otherwise, to suggest but two… or it could also represent, quite seasonally, quite simply, the necessity for finding safety, shelter, and warmth, comfort, and sustenance upon the darkest of nights.
This Solstice chart shows more planetary presence being occupied within more cadent houses than any other, which could ponder upon the transitionality of it all… and very little elemental air is available to circulate throughout the immediacy of it all, and so our minds may be overstretched and cluttered from too many thoughts or too few decisions to choose from that meet our needs—our connections with others, too, could feel somewhat distracted or busied… the presents we hurry through too-crowded boutiques and too-long of lines to purchase for too-much money, because traditions, lacking any real sense, or value, or meaning may feel somewhat stifling this year—if not outright unnecessary.
There’s absolute transitionality occurring, and it has been building now through the month—and more than one planetary placement or connection is saying as much, as well—there is a high probability that this holiday will not resemble last year’s (or any other year from the past for that matter…) in many ways, if any, as these personal planets continue to move on.
As the clock strikes this moment for the sun, this will occur within the hour of the moon, and Mercury hovers over the midheaven, and now-sun-governing Saturn stands alone without aspect…
The hour of the moon would suggest that emotions and moods are likely being engaged, and defended—particularly if the moon is in Sagittarius—these emotions and moods are illuminating more toward the need for personal independence, and for that ideal holiday vision of optimism and joy… and not likely envisioning that ‘traditional’ family holiday, but more suggestively toward the family holiday get-together you privately leave while no one’s noticing and drive your vehicular freedom out of that neighborhood or gated community or country road as fast as you’re safely able… there may simply not be too much joy to be found this year, within the stockings or even out of stock completely due to shipping availability deficits.
I really hate to be the Grinch here… there will be joy—but it will most likely be found or manifested in the most unusual or unorthodox of ways…
Sometimes safe and warm, nourished and comfortable, sustained—sometimes these mean being alone, and particularly for Sagittarius. Alone without any gifts that likely meant nothing anyway beyond the giver’s ego need being stroked and the raw honesty of merely acknowledging that in this way is likely liberating… alone to begin envisioning how differently you would like next year’s holiday family gathering to be.
It’s more or less a bowl aspect pattern, a bucket lacking a handle… and this particular angle, set in Oregon at 1:49pm PST, would appear as though the bowl is being dumped of its contents… perhaps this is a symbolically metaphorical way to envision all that we will need to most literally dump of ourselves? The freeing of the burden of whatever traditionally embraced weight was filling that bowl…
Or perhaps it’s a bowl filled with the faith and hope and love that you hold within, and you’re opening to the sharing of these… in your own way—in dumping all of these sentiments upon those you love and/or share space with?—talk about abundance.
All of this, delineated, speaks to many symbolisms and metaphors—though I continue to read these as somewhat unorthodox…
Also, I think it’s important to share with you that that first degree of Capricorn—as the sun moves into Capricorn to connect with Jupiter by square exactly—is a degree that describes confrontation.
For better or worse.
This is a square that takes personal authority to a much higher extreme—a much more ‘authentic’ (whatever that means) version of what either your inner instincts or your inner ego is needing—two very different matters… not only are you bound to be—or will need to be—the one who has the most to share, or express, or report, or dismiss, or upset… everyone will be feeling this for themselves. Fun.
Will this fade by the days of the actual holidays or planned events?—anyone’s guess.
However, this chart will also regard the entirety of the winter season… meaning, then, that our personal authority will have much to contend with for the next ninety-some days, through the energies of Capricorn—but then also Aquarius, and Pisces. Again, transitionality, indeed.
One perspective is “on a practical level, this symbol is reflected in confrontation between parents and their children, managers and employees, and other situations where authority is challenged…” particularly if any unorthodox measures of celebration are actually entertained or anti-quotidian routines advocated.
These authority examples could also take on the guise of Mother Nature itself—through extreme weather systems preventing you from much mobile control or otherwise… or your own inability to manage your own demons—particularly those that tend to suffocate all efforts toward your own self-motivation or personal empowerments to forge yourself further forward.
By Christmas Eve the moon will be in Capricorn, which very expectantly supports traditions, as well as all the family drama bullshit that occurs underneath all the picture-perfect holiday photos that were obnoxiously sent out to even folks your mom hasn’t spoken to or seen for fifteen years now… though it’s connecting to Pluto in conjunction—which isn’t exactly what one would consider festive, or joyful… perhaps the long-lost and estranged recipients of these holiday cards will this year suggest in ink upon the unopened sparkly envelope to ‘return to sender’.
On Christmas Day, the moon is in Aquarius—the zodiacal energy of Unorthodoxy itself. Inevitability someone, anyone, either within the family or not—someone will suggest something obscure or insist on discussing something uncomfortable. Or both.
So, again—I do not share this with you to be a Grinch, but in an effort to open you to these potentialities so that you can choose to prepare for and decide to not fall prey to playing out that role within your family gatherings, and to acknowledge that someone within the family may very well nail that role… unless you’re wanting to more aggressively and determindedly act out the part when Grinch finally comes around and is taken by the spirit of joy and giving… that’s much more Elf-like.
Wishing all of you and yours a very merry Solstice—Bon Iver—and Yule-tide cheer.
Stay warm. Stay joyful. Stay boundaried from your ego-impulses. Stay open to new.
Stay within your Light.