Moons

SOLSTICE / SATURN JUPITER CONJUNCTION - 21 December 2020

12/21/2020

Today is a very special Winter Solstice/Summer Solstice that the Uluru tribe in Australia have been waiting for for a very long time, as it also involves a rare conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius. Saturn rules the limits of our reality, while Jupiter rules our beliefs, and in Aquarius we are invited to release limiting beliefs and expand the limits of our reality. Aquarius helps us to undo our programming and conditioning so that we can be our true unique selves. Sometimes our more conditioned beliefs about ourselves and life need to be broken down so that we are free to truly be the light that we are.

Saturn and Jupiter are closer in the night sky than they have been for about 800 years, forming a conjunction that will resemble the Star of Bethlehem that the wise men would have seen so long ago. They are also starting a two hundred year cycle in air signs. It is a very important moment energetically, as it anchors in the Age of Aquarius, a process that began with the 2012 Solstice. Although as always with these alignments, the effects probably won't be felt in an obvious "hit you over the head" way, but will be more subtle and gradual.. Our prayers and meditations are extremely important today, both at 10.02am UK time, the exact time of the Solstice, and at 4.30pm UK time, when the conjunction is exact.

We are urged to help bring in the light and set positive, heartfelt intentions for the world we live in. Never has this been more important than now! The Uluru tribe encourages us to focus on the Earth herself, as this is the primary focus of their ritual. The Moon is in sensitive, compassionate Pisces today, which is rather lovely, as this is the last sign of the zodiac and represents unconditional love and reminds us that ultimately we are all one. It also helps us to connect to spirit and open us to the subtle energies, which is also rather beautiful!

Happy Solstice!

Much Love
xoxo“

Picture: O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Carol Sheli Cantrell

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SAGITTARIUS NEW MOON/TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - 14 December 2020

12/11/2020

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SAGITTARIUS NEW MOON/TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - Monday 14 December, exact at 4.16pm UK time.

This is an incredibly powerful lunation as it involves a total Solar Eclipse, which is a much more potent New Moon than usual! Eclipses bring a consciousness shift, energetic downloads, change, crisis and events that can shift our reality. They help us to change patterns and let go of the old so that we can usher in the new. Whereas a New Moon usually sets a ball in motion that has an impact on the month ahead, the effects of a Solar Eclipse will be felt for the coming six months, until the next set of Eclipses. It might be helpful to look back to the powerful Solar Eclipse we experienced on the Solstice on 21 June 2020 and contemplate what was going on for us then and where we are with that now. Similarly, there will be an energetic link between this New Moon/Eclipse and the New Moon/Eclipse in the same degree of Sagittarius on 14 December 2001. What was going on for us at that time that may be repeating or passing into the next phase now? This is a powerfully potent time when we have the potential for real shift and change. It is the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one.

Wherever we find the 24th degree of Sagittarius in our chart is where we will personally experience the energy of this Eclipse. Sagittarius is the seeker of the truth, a beacon of higher wisdom that genuinely wants to understand why we are here and what it is all about. This is the part of ourselves that has the faith that ultimately we are heading in the right direction even when things look incredibly dire. Sagittarius helps us to see the bigger picture and to have a sense of humour about the absurdity of life! It helps us to not take ourselves too seriously and to look forward and upwards rather than dwelling on the past. This is a sign that has high morals and believes in natural law which is universal, grounded in nature and based on higher principles and truth rather than man made law, which is a construct of the mind that relies on dogma and fear of punishment, and demands compliance.

Mercury is very close indeed to the Sun and Moon in Sagittarius, which could make this a very busy time indeed, with a lot of chatter, sharing of information and mental activity. It is quite possible that there will be a lot of debates and many different preachers on the pulpit espousing their version of the truth.There is also the potential for the truth to be revealed as more information comes out into the light. Mars is also in on the act, supporting the Sun, Moon and Mercury. This can help us to find our inner warrior, giving us the courage to face the truth and also to speak up when needed. Sagittarius rules the judicial system, so the lawyers could be working extra hard to bring truth and justice to the fore. Sagittarius is a very optimistic sign that truly believes that everything that happens has something to teach us if we are open and willing to see. It also invites us to listen to our intuition, to trust our gut and to speak our truth, even if it is not popular or makes others uncomfortable.

The Nodes of the Moon are heavily involved with this lunation, as they always are during an Eclipse, which means that this Moon could have a strong impact on our destiny, both personally and collectively. The Sun, Moon and Mercury are sitting right next to the South Node of the Moon in Sagittarius, with Neptune square them all. Issues around truth and lies are rife right now, leaving people very confused and unsure about what to believe. Neptune, in its lower vibration, is very adept at the art of deception, being the master of smoke and mirrors, propaganda and illusion. In its higher vibration it encourages us to turn inward to find the truth rather than relying on external sources to tell us what to believe. It reminds us that we are all connected, and what happens to one happens to all. It encourages us to find the courage to speak out and share our version of the truth, even if we have to sacrifice something in order to do so. Sometimes in life we are called to make some kind of personal sacrifice for the sake of humanity and the greater good. This could be one of those times.

Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, is in the very last couple of degrees of Capricorn right now, getting ready to go into Aquarius on 19 December. Saturn is also in the last degree of Capricorn and will move into Aquarius on 17 December. This has the potential to bring quite a big energetic shift, as Capricorn and Aquarius are very different signs indeed! As these two move through the last degree of Capricorn we could experience the shadow side of Capricorn, in the form of fear based control, oppression, suppression, censorship, programming and conditioning, guilt, karma coming back to bite us, grief, depression, feelings of futility, authoritarian rules and regulations, judgement and intolerance. What fun! It may feel like we are in a very dark, narrow birth canal, being squeezed very tightly, so thank goodness we have the philosophical Sagittarius energy to help us to keep an eye on the bigger picture and keep the faith! Bear in mind, however, that Sagittarius’s ruler is in Capricorn, a more cautious, realistic and sober influence.

However, the shifting of the two social planets into Aquarius could bring some relief, as this is the sign of liberation, non-conformity, humanitarianism, brotherhood/sisterhood, rebellion, questioning the status quo and visions of a better future based on liberty and equality. All for one and one for all! While Capricorn makes the rules and regulations, using them as a means of control and expecting us to follow them, Aquarius questions and breaks the rules, especially if they no longer make sense or do us harm. While Capricorn represents government, authority and the conditioning that we have received by our parents and society, Aquarius is for the people and liberates us from any programming that is keeping us limited or bound or preventing us from being our true, authentic self. This is the sign that kicks back against consensus reality and can see beyond the mainstream narrative. It will be interesting to see what shifts and changes once Jupiter, the planet of beliefs, moves over into this revolutionary sign. It has the potential to bring greater tolerance of one another’s differences, less judgement, the capacity to see an alternative perspective and liberation from fear-based beliefs, indoctrination and programming.

Saturn and Jupiter will be forming an exact conjunction in the very first degree of Aquarius on 21 December, the Solstice, which is a powerful combination as the first degree of a sign is very potent indeed. These two planets join forces once every 20 years or so, and in Aquarius they have the potential to kick start a new phase of development, changing the structure of our lives, consciousness and beliefs and potentially helping us to start shifting into a new way of perceiving the world we live in. Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, is currently in Taurus and has been radically changing our values in recent times, so we are primed and ready to embrace a new world and let go of the old, outworn structures that are dead in the water. It is time to raise the vibration from fear to love.

Next year Saturn and Uranus will be squaring off against each other, slowly but surely continuing the process of dismantling the structures of our lives and consciousness, so this conjunction could somehow be preparing us for that. Saturn represents our structure of reality, while Jupiter represents our belief system, and in Aquarius we may need to go through some kind of breaking down of the way we perceive reality in order to move onto the next phase of our evolution and the creation of a new world. Possibly this Solstice will bring some kind of internal shift and raising of our vibration that is needed to precede the external changes that are to follow. It is said that when Jupiter and Saturn align that they will create a bright light in the night sky, similar to the Star of Bethlehem that some astronomers suggest the wise men may have seen in the biblical account of the birth of Jesus. It could, some say, be the much needed light at the end of a very long tunnel.

Meanwhile Mars in Aries is also building up to its final square with Pluto in Capricorn, which will be exact on 23 December and very strong indeed on the Solstice. This has the potential to bring up rage and the use of force either by or towards the power structures. Mars, the warrior planet, is joining forces with Eris, the goddess of strife, chaos and discord, at 23 degrees Aries. Eris is a powerful force who forces us to open our eyes and see things as they really are and to take our power back. She is an agent of evolutionary change and the goddess of chaos, who can push us to take radical action and start off a process that has the capacity to take on a life of its own.

Eris is known for the fast spread of information , ideas and hype, and is responsible for things going viral and somehow unraveling. On 11 of December this strong, radical feminine force is exactly square Pluto in Capricorn, which is in the process of slowly but surely detoxifying our societal power structures and exposing the rot, making them more transparent. As such, it will be very interesting to see what happens as Mars joins forces with Eris over the next week or so! Mars in Aries is very brave, head strong, assertive and even aggressive, so what might happen as this forceful energy combines with the goddess of strife, discord and chaos? What might be revealed? What uncomfortable material might we have to face? What might we be forced to see that we would rather remain blind to?

Combine this with a conjunction between Uranus, the Great Awakener and Black Moon Lilith, the Dark Goddess, which we will be exact on 22 December and we have a recipe for radical change and people standing up and saying “Enough is enough!” BML is not fond of being told what to do and will not abide being subordinated, while Uranus is the planet of revolution, awakening and rebellion. This combination could bring wake up calls, sudden events and shocks that could bring some dark material out into the light and force some turbulent feelings to rise up in us. It has the potential for uprisings and the desire to break free of restrictions or anything that makes us feel bound, limited or put down. There is a lot of radical feminine energy around for this Solstice, that’s for sure! We may be forced to confront our own shadows and wake up to some darker elements of reality that we may usually prefer not to acknowledge. One of BML’s greatest gifts is self-empowerment, but this only comes from really owning the darker aspects of ourselves rather than pushing them away and pretending they don’t exist. Possibly we are being asked to own the darkness before we can walk into the light.

The Sabian symbol for this conjunction between Black Moon Lilith and Uranus is very interesting indeed and feels incredibly appropriate, so here it is, in its entirety: Taurus 7°” The woman of Samaria at the ancestral well”, which Dane Rudyar describes as: “The meeting of the traditional past and of the creative spirit pointing to the future. The symbol refers to a most important, but usually narrowly interpreted (or interpreted away!) episode of the Christ mythos. Early in his ministry, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at an ancestral well. This woman belongs to a tribe despised by the Jews; moreover, she is unmarried and therefore on the fringe of even her own society. It is to just that kind of woman that Jesus reveals that he is the Messiah: “I am He,” a revelation that he apparently will not bestow even upon his disciples, at least not in words. (Words in occultism are the creative factor).

What does this mean? Jesus, as the Avatar incorporating the Christ-Impulse, came to replace the old tribal order with a new order based on universal Love. It is not to representatives of, or even to men still attached to, the old order that Jesus could reveal his spiritual, evolutionary and society-transforming status; they had instead to reach a point where they could discover his avatar-ship – as did Peter just before the Transfiguration scene. But to the woman of Samaria – who, in her openness to love’s urgings. had already repudiated any narrow subservience to the old order – Jesus could reveal his function. The highest meets the lowest when this lowest is free from traditional bonds and open to love. The creative future descends first to that which has become chaos. An old order is never open to a new Revelation until it has accepted disorder in the name of that Power which subsumes all forms of order, i.e. Love”. Rudyar finishes by saying “ A NEW QUALITY OF BEING is revealed which renders the old patterns obsolete.” Wow. What a powerful symbol that applies to both the Eclipse and the Solstice.

Which brings me to the Sabian symbol for the New Moon/Eclipse, which will have an impact on the month ahead and, indeed, the next six months: 24° Sagittarius “A bluebird perched on the gate of a cottage”, which Rudyar describes as “The reward which meets every effort at integration into a social environment, for those who remain true to their own selves. A bluebird is a well known symbol of happiness, but also it refers to what one might call a spiritually oriented mind – to which the colour blue relates, especially when a “bird” is mentioned. A cottage is normally part of a community, and the implication is that its inhabitants are well-adapted, either to the life of the community, or to their more or less isolated togetherness. This symbol suggests that the essential technique for successful living is the development of a consciousness in which peace and happiness dwell. There is also a hint that GOOD FORTUNE is going to bless your life”. Well, this is a welcome symbol indeed! We seem to be asked to cultivate feelings of peace and happiness from within, doing the inner work and remaining true to ourselves. Keep the faith!

This next couple of weeks seem to be incredibly important and bring the potential for quite a big vibrational shift to occur. It seems that we are being asked to face the darkness and own our shadows rather than projecting them out onto others, including the powers that be. As we move through the dark, narrow birth canal we are invited to do the inner work to prepare us for whatever is coming next. The world is changing and so we must become the change we want to see. We are invited to peer into the darkness while we allow in the light. “The Truth Shall Set You Free” feels like it could be a good slogan for this Sagittarius New Moon! One of Sagittarius’s greatest gifts, however, is faith. Faith that we are held, guided and protected. Faith that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Faith that we are heading in the right direction. Faith that no matter how dark things seem, there is always a silver lining behind the cloud. Faith that ultimately the Light always wins. Faith that we are the Light. The darkest hour is just before dawn.

Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Picture: Light Tunnel by Carol and Mike Werner

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CANCER FULL MOON - 22 December 2018

12/19/2018

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Exact at 5.48pm GMT, 12.48pm EST

This Full Moon falls less than 24 hours after the Winter Solstice, so this could be quite an intensely emotional time leading up to the Solstice! This is a time of turning within and facing the shadows; it is a time of silence and introspection, when we need to rest and lay in wait for the light to return. It is interesting that we also have Sagittarius season until the Solstice, which brings a tendency to over-extend ourselves and rush around, when really the most natural thing for us to be doing is resting, hibernating, slowing down and listening to our quiet inner voice. Traditionally, the Winter Solstice is considered to be the moment when the Moon gives birth to the Sun, which is such a beautiful thought! It is a time of hope and faith, when we welcome back the light and look backward over the year we have had and forward towards our vision of what is to come. This year, as it coincides with the Full Moon, it will very likely have some extra emotional weight to it. As the moon builds to its peak of fullness, so do our emotions. This is a very emotional time of year as it is, so it is important that we treat ourselves and others with compassion and kindness.

Astrologically, the Solstice represents the moment when the Sun move from Sagittarius into Capricorn, beginning a new cycle. The Solstice will occur at 22.23pm in England on 21 December. The Full Moon is occurring in the very first degree of Cancer, with the Sun directly opposite in the very first degree of Capricorn. This certainly feels like a time of transition; a turning point somehow. A Cancer Full Moon is very poignant indeed when it falls at this time of year, as Cancer represents our inner and outer home, our sense of belonging, our childhood, family and roots. It could bring some very strong emotions up around our sense of belonging, and could highlight any emotional patterns that were formed in childhood and which no longer serve us but rather go against us. Cancer represents the inner child – the vulnerable part of us that may be hurt, damaged or wounded by whatever happened in our childhood. Sometimes we allow that hurt little child to run the show, acting in ways that we are not proud of! So often we find ourselves projecting needs that were not met in childhood onto those close to us, such as our partners and children, subconsciously expecting them to make up for whatever our parents failed to give us.

While Cancer represents our inner child and emotional patterns, Capricorn represents our inner parent and the conditioning that we received from our parents, school and society. In an ideal world we would have a good balance between our inner child and inner parent, whereby we are able to be a kind parent to our inner child and recognise when we are over-reacting or sabotaging our relationships with our old script or story. However, often we find ourselves “acting out” our unmet childhood needs and conditioning and responding in a needy, insecure and childish way (Cancer) or going the other way and completely suppressing or controlling our emotions (Capricorn) so that they end up coming out in distorted ways. Capricorn is the king is the stiff upper lip and no stranger to guilt, which can cause us to judge ourselves severely. The key is to look back over our life and try to understand where this guilt might be coming from. What subtle messages were we given that might have indoctrinated us with a pervading sense of having done something wrong?

A positive manifestation of Cancer is for us to learn to meet our own emotional needs instead of being the eternal child that expects others to take care of us and solve our problems. Once we learn to nurture ourselves then we are better able to nurture others’ needs. A positive manifestation of Capricorn is to learn emotional maturity, being adult enough to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions, create healthy boundaries and take on our own authority rather than allowing others to have authority over our path. These are lessons we could be confronted with during this Full Moon. We are encouraged to openly express our feelings and allow ourselves to be vulnerable, while at the same time being grown up about it and taking responsibility for our own emotional landscape and needs.

Chiron the Wounded Healer is forming a challenging square aspect to the Sun and Moon during this Full Moon. Chiron will be exactly squaring the Sun on Wednesday 19 December, but the energy will linger for the Full Moon. This could very much highlight our old wounds and insecurities, and people’s words or actions may inadvertently hurt or trigger us as these old wounds could feel more like open sores during this time! This is especially so because Mars, the warrior planet, is moving towards a conjunction with Chiron (exact on 28 Dec), and both are in Pisces. This could cause people to act, react and possibly even attack quite strongly, forcefully and aggressively, from a wounded and potentially deluded place. It is important to be gentle with ourselves this week, and to be aware of the fact that we could be more sensitive and vulnerable than at other times, which could cause us to over-react or be a bit too emotional or defensive. Compassion and forgiveness are what are called for, both for ourselves and others. Chiron in Pisces promotes unconditional love and empathy for all living beings, as we all have our cross to bear, albeit in different shapes, forms and sizes.

Uranus is forming a harmonious and helpful trine aspect to the Sun and Moon, and Uranus and the Sun will exactly trine one another on Thursday 20 December, but the energy will still be strong for the Full Moon. This could be very helpful in terms of breaking unhealthy or detrimental habits and patterns, and releasing us from the past so that we can move forward with a renewed sense of purpose. It is important to be open to whatever changes might come our way, and to keep an eye out for synchronicities and anything unusual that could be prodding us in a different direction to what we might be used to. This is an exciting and enlivening aspect that could help us to break out of the mould and recreate ourselves somehow. This could represent a much needed “reset button”, liberating us from the old story so that we can recreate a new one.

Mercury and Jupiter and joining forces in Sagittarius this week, exact on Fri 21 December, which could have both positive and challenging implications! On the one hand this could help us to see the big picture, trusting our hunches and intuition. This is quite a philosophical combination that could help us to be quite forward thinking and optimistic. However, it also has the potential for us to experience a bit of Sagittarian foot in mouth syndrome as we speak our truth, regardless of how hurtful it might be for other people to hear it. It is important to remember that the truth is relative, and that what is true for us may not be for another. It is also important to remember that this Moon, and this time of year, can make people especially sensitive and reactive, and may blurt things out that they don’t really mean.

Another thing to be aware of is that Neptune, the planet of illusion and delusion, is forming a challenging square aspect to this Mercury/Jupiter conjunction. As such, all may not be entirely as it seems and our powers of discrimination and discernment may be a bit skewed and unreliable. Religious and spiritual delusions are possible when Neptune and Jupiter are involved, so we must be careful in terms of what we accept as the “truth” from other people. We may be more susceptible than usual to indoctrination, as people could be very convincing, overzealous and dogmatic in putting forward their beliefs and version of the truth. We must try not to make any concrete decisions about anything we hear or think during this time, because deception, delusion, glamour, smoke screens and illusion are all possible and may cloud our perception of reality. Our imaginations could run wild in completely the wrong direction! Someone could try and convince us of something that is in fact not true at all! We could even find ourselves questioning our own sanity, as we are unsure of what is real or unreal, true or false. The Mercury Neptune square will be exact on 25 December, while the Neptune Jupiter square will be exact on 13 January.

Neptune is also forming a beautiful trine aspect with Venus during this Moon which will be very helpful indeed. Venus represents love, while Neptune represents unconditional love. This lovely, heart-opening combination can help us to recognise one another’s divine potential; to see past the masks and walls and relate to each other’s true spirit and essence. We may be better able than at other times to see past one another’s flaws and idiosyncrasies and accept each other exactly as we are, warts and all. We all have our wounds, insecurities and shadows, and this combo could help us to have more compassion and empathy for our loved ones and, indeed, humanity as a whole. We are all beautiful souls doing the best we can with whatever we have been given. And for some of us, what we have been given is more difficult to bear than others.

The Sabian symbol for this Moon, in the very first degree of Cancer, is: “On a ship the sailors lower an old flag and raise a new one.” Which Dane Rudyar describes as “A radical change of allegiance exteriorised in a symbolical act: a point of no return.” This brings the sense of a turning point; some kind of act of free will that changes things significantly. We could be giving up an old way of being, or shedding old habits, or ending something significant in our lives. It does seem, however, that there will be no going back.

It is important, during this Moon, to be aware of the potential for over-sensitivity and over-reaction. This is an emotional Moon at an emotional time of year that has the potential to bring up our sore spots and make us quite irrational! This is a good opportunity to recognise how some of our emotional patterns formed in childhood might still be running the show and to practice putting our inner parent to work. This Moon could bring up a lot around our sense of belonging, and make us all too aware of what we are missing, whether that be someone we have lost or the family we wish we had. It is so important to be gentle with ourselves and others during this time, as behind someone’s harsh words or overreactions could be a little child who feels terribly hurt, alone and misunderstood. All is not as it seems, and appearances can be deceiving. It would be good to take a leaf out of Cancer’s book and really nurture our inner child and those of others during this time when we are waiting for the light to return.

Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Picture: Sculpture : “Love” by Alexander Milov

My website: www.amybirdartandastrology.com

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WINTER SOLSTICE AND CAPRICORN NEW MOON - 21 and 22 December 2014

12/18/2014

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Winter Solstice – Sunday 21 December, exact at 11.03pm GMT, 6.03pm EST

Capricorn New Moon – Monday 22 December, exact at 1.36am GMT, Sunday 21 December, exact at 8.36pm EST.

This year the Winter Solstice and Capricorn New Moon are only a couple of hours apart so this will be a very potent time for setting some concrete and realistic intentions for ourselves. This New Moon is the third of three New Moons in the first degree of the sign they are in, which strengthens the sense of new beginnings and fresh, raw, vibrant energy. The Solstice is the longest night of the year and is a good time to perform some kind of ritual which involves turning inward and honouring the darkness within so that we can transform it into light. The rising of the sun on the Winter Solstice, out of the darkest day of the year, symbolises the birth of the light from the dark. Combined with the energy of the New Moon, this is a time for planting new seeds and contemplating what we really and truly want for ourselves as we move forward. This is a time for recreating ourselves; for wiping the slate clean and starting over.

Uranus, the Great Awakener, turns direct just minutes before the Solstice and when this happens he is closest to the earth so his energy is at its strongest. Uranus in Aries is the rebel revolutionary and demands that we stand up for our right to be completely and utterly who we are. He awakens us to our full potential and asks us to step outside of normal parameters and shake things up a bit, even if it is a bit uncomfortable. This energy will be very present throughout the Solstice and the New Moon. We are being asked to stand up and be counted! Uranus has a tendency to make everything a bit unsettled but he is really good at blowing the cobwebs away and forcing us out of stagnation. He helps us release ourselves from whatever chains might be holding us back from achieving our full potential. We can expect this Solstice to be quite electrically charged and there is the possibility of some amazing breakthroughs and epiphanies as we receive messages and insights out of the blue. Uranus is the planet of sudden change, so expect the unexpected!

To add to the excitement, Mars in Aquarius is forming a positive aspect to Uranus in Aries and not only that but they are in mutual reception, which strengthens the energy of both planets. These two are both pretty feisty planets as well! Mutual reception means that the two planets are in each other signs, so Mars is in Aquarius which is ruled by Uranus and Uranus is in Aries which is ruled by Mars. Energetic revolution! Mars is the Warrior and Motivator and will give us the energy for fight for our ideals, our dreams and the right to be ourselves instead of the person we have been conditioned to be. It may be a bit shocking for those who have got used to us being a certain way, but it is far better to be authentic and true to ourselves instead of conforming just to keep the peace or please others. Mars is very brave and combined with Uranus is wilfully individualistic. Together they could produce sudden bursts of energy and the urge to fight for our individual rights, both collectively and personally. This energy will certainly help us step outside of our comfort zones and create positive and healthy changes for ourselves.

The Solstice represents the moment when the Sun moves from Sagittarius, a mutable sign, into Capricorn, a Cardinal sign. Cardinal signs symbolise new beginnings and initiate change. A couple of hours later the Moon catches up and forms her monthly union with the Sun in earthy, realistic and responsible Capricorn. This is the sign of slow, persistent progress towards some kind of concrete, realistic goal we have set for ourselves. Capricorn is the sign of the goat who slowly but surely, with steady feet, makes his way up the mountain until he reaches the peak. Indeed, Capricorns can be quite ambitious as they set their aims very high and aren’t afraid to put in the hard work necessary to make their dreams come true. They have an enormous amount of discipline and are determined to master whatever they choose to focus their energy on. Mastery takes time and dedication and doesn’t happen overnight. Capricorn’s ruler, Saturn, is Cronus, Father Time who tests and challenges us so that we can achieve wisdom, maturity and self-mastery.

For this New Moon we are asked to set some realistic intentions for ourselves and figure out some kind of strategy, introducing some structure into our lives which will help us slowly work towards achieving our goals. Capricorn is quite a solitary creature and, more than most signs, needs time spent alone, often so he can fully concentrate on whatever project he is working on. He represents authority and when take too far can have a need to control, or at least to be in control. He is certainly not a fan of losing control! Capricorn energy can be quite austere and can sometimes mean that we have to deny ourselves something in order to achieve our dreams. Capricorn is the king of discipline and self-denial leading to self-mastery! It is no coincidence that Capricorn season carries on into January, when so many people put themselves on diets and deny themselves pleasure after the gluttony and over indulgence of the Sagittarius holiday season. Sagittarius is jovial, optimistic and jolly and has a tendency towards excess, then Capricorn comes along and forces us to be a bit more serious, realistic and disciplined and put our heads to the grindstone. The Sagittarius Archer may shoot for the stars but Capricorn is the one who is willing to put in the hard work and take on the responsibility that success entails.

Saturn, Capricorn’s ruler, is in the very last degree of Scorpio for this Solstice and New Moon. He will move into Sagittarius on December 23rd. As such it is our last chance to dig up our deep rooted fears and go deeper on an emotional level. Since October 2012 Saturn has been challenging us to master all things Scorpio, which includes true emotional honesty, facing our deepest darkest fears, dealing with trust and lack of trust and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and show our tender underbellies enough to experience true intimacy. Admitting our darkest secrets and things we are most ashamed or afraid of is not an easy thing to do, but it does allow people to get to know us so much better and strengthens the bond and connection. Scorpio represents all the taboo subjects that people would rather not talk about, and in the last couple of years Saturn in this sign has brought a lot out into the open that has hitherto been hidden. On a global level it began with Jimmy Saville which set a powerful ball rolling. Now we have a last push before Saturn heads into Sagittarius on the 23rd, the day after the New Moon. The last degree of a sign is as powerful as the first degree, so this New Moon has some very potent energy for endings and beginnings.

This really is a Capricorn party, with the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Pluto and Venus all in this down to earth, serious and responsible sign. Mercury and Venus are sitting either side of Pluto, which could make things quite intense and helps Saturn in Scorpio in his effort to create deeper intimacy and soulful connection. Venus, the planet of love, beauty and how we attract money and people into our lives, is a big part of the picture during this Solstice and New Moon. She is sitting right next to powerful Pluto, challenged by Uranus, in harmonious aspect to Chiron, the Wounded Healer and is squaring the Nodes of the Moon. That’s a lot of Venus! On a relationship level it means that we might experience some turbulence and be asked to be utterly truthful and authentic even if it means shocking our loved ones or putting their noses out of joint. There is the possibility of things coming to a head as any tensions that have been simmering away come up to the surface to be aired. Uranus could create sudden shifts and changes in our relationships which could be a bit unsettling. We might try something new on for size which is more in keeping with who we really are. On a financial level we may struggle between Uranus’s need for freedom and change and Venus in Capricorn’s tendency to play it safe for the sake of security.

Pluto and Venus together is a very passionate combination which demands that we are emotionally honest and relate to each other on a much deeper, soul level, even if it means that we reveal the not so pretty side of ourselves or tuths that others may not want to hear. Pluto in Capricorn is encouraging us to empower ourselves by standing in our own truth, not by taking someone else’s power away from them. My sense is that we are going to be very “real” in the way we relate with one another this weekend and we will know each other much better as a result. The soul bonds will strengthen! We have been slowly, over the past few years, shedding old skin and becoming closer and closer to the truth of ourselves. This has been quite uncomfortable and we are still finding our way with the new self that is emerging and are learning how to relate to people on another level. Pluto demands the truth, no matter how ugly it is. Luckily Chiron is around to help heal whatever comes up and also help us with issues of self-worth. Venus and Chiron together is very tender and reminds us that we are loveable not matter what comes rising to the surface when Pluto, Uranus and Venus get together. There is the possibility of our relationships being deeply transformed during this Solstice and New Moon as well and the possibility of them moving onto another level somehow.

Well, there is certainly a lot going on this weekend! There is the potential for epiphanies, shifts in perspective, truths being revealed, standing up for ourselves and our truth and deepening our intimate connection with one another. Uranus brings the possibility of shocks and upheaval and a breath of fresh air that will blast us out of stagnation and break the chains that bind us! Capricorn represents control while Uranus will not tolerate any form of control whatsoever! Saturn wants us to face our fears once and for all; namely our fear of revealing ourselves, warts and all. So if there is anything we have been avoiding through fear, now is the time to face up to it. Capricorn wants us to contemplate what we want for ourselves and come up with some kind of plan to actually help us work towards our goals. He does have a tendency to be a bit hard on himself, however, so be aware. We can only do our best. No more, no less. The important thing is to have a clear idea of what we want for ourselves and then we can slowly but surely start working towards it. The Solstice is a very powerful energetic moment of death and rebirth, when we transform our inner darkness into light and recreate ourselves. The Solstice, combined with the New Moon, brings the potential for some powerful endings and beginnings. If you could wipe anything out completely and start anew, what would it be?

Much love

Amy

xoxo

Picture: Lock and Chain by Alex Burg

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Amy Bird

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