The Winter Solstice is today December 21, 2022, exactly at 1:48 :15 pm PST. In the chart for the Winter Solstice (North America Pacific Time Zone, see chart) we have the sign of Taurus rising at the moment of the solstice. The Sun in Capricorn is in the 8th house at the moment of this winter solstice, and at a noticeable balsamic moon phase. This winter season is a closing chapter, a time of deeper reflection. In addition to being conscious of the moon phase of this winter solstice and what that means about our collective energy and how we may align with that within our own lives, is Uranus rising at the Ascendant.
With Uranus rising in this chart (15 degrees 22 minutes of Taurus) and retrograde in a wide square (separating) from Saturn (21 degrees 27 minutes Aquarius) it is a time that will have a vibration of instability, keep in mind that some change takes a lot of time to actually breakdown what was there prior to allow for new growth. We may see this “breaking through” within different areas of our lives externally such as resources or assets, supply chains, currencies and money markets, food and similar industries. I also would look at this in the context of what we value is going through a paradigm of change. As an Evolutionary Astrologer, I like to bring forward what we evolve on the inner plane of our existence. We may consciously align with the season, but as individuals, we still operate in a complex system for our everyday lives. You may be working on something within yourself that is only visible to you and your mind (your inner world) that is important right now to take a moment (or a season) and reflect. I think it is always good to know how the archetypes may reveal in our collective lives and how that may impact us in some way. Better to be aware and mindful when we have the tools to explore the archetypes closely. We are individuals in a world where our relationships inform us (feedback) about many areas of life and help us understand ourselves more deeply in our complex and multi-layered systems. This is why I think we all need each other in countless (infinite) ways.
There are other indicators of a bumpy season ahead in our collective experience, even while we take time to reflect. Closing chapters tend to be more deeply felt, harder perhaps for us to let go and surrender. Many of us are not happy campers with so much change. Astrologically, we have Pluto (27 degrees 20 minutes) at the Midheaven (26 degrees 08 minutes) in Capricorn. The USA is in its Pluto return (the USA Pluto is 27 degrees 33 minutes Capricorn). That is based on the US Sibly chart 5:10 pm LMT. However, the US was born over many different points in time, so hard to peg it to just one chart. One of my favorite astrologers that was a history teacher for a few decades is Gary Lorentzen. You can find his writings on the subject at his website HERE. Though, I now think we will really see the full-blown view of our collective USA Pluto return as Pluto transits through the early degrees of Aquarius, which holds true for the events of the emerging nation in 1776-1780. We have seen plenty of events that let us know we are in a deeply immersed in a phase of our growth as a collective in the USA, but this is a long cycle, so this will continue for a few years. More on Pluto’s Aquarius ingress on March 23, 2023, coming soon. There is so much more yet to reveal on the plutonian-capricorn archetype of our nation at this maturity point. The question I think is, how will we evolve and our values is truly at the heart of the archetype. Next year Pluto returns to Capricorn for most of the year, so keep that in mind.
Another indicator of this winter season being rather “bumpy” in our experience is that there are a few planets out-of-bounds (OOB) beyond the sun’s ecliptic path, so there’s a “wild card” energy with them. As you can see below in the chart analysis image, the following planets are out of bounds in their declination. The Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars are all out-of-bounds, at the time of this winter solstice. So all the inner planets, and note these are the planets that are symbolically connected to relationships (feminine/masculine) and mind! So you see, it’s going to be a juicy bit of time for us all…but especially for what you focus on within your inner plane, your soul and really getting into the parts of yourself that are highly activated. From your instinctual nature to our thought patterns, we’re getting invitations into ways of acknowledging masculine-feminine energies from within and how we think, communicate and act from all of these are amplified now, in this time of reflection. Venus and Mercury in Capricorn at 14 and 20 degrees in a trine aspect with Uranus and the Ascendant. What an interesting paradox!
Astrology at its foundation is aligned with our collective consciousness as seasonal, and the cardinal signs indicate that entry of the season. Presently I’m diving into the Southern Hemisphere experience of astrology and why or why not to flip the charts. More on that soon, I am absorbing information now and will need time to practice it and then see what I think more deeply on this subject. I was born and live in the NOrthern Hemisphere, however I think there is something worth exploring for anyone born near the equator and within the Southern Hemisphere to better fine-tune astrology for souls that are living experiences from a different lens of seasons.
The moon is applying to an opposition with a retrograde Mars (within 2 and ½ degrees) in masculine mutable signs of Sagittarius and Gemini. This is energy that will be exact around 5:48 pm PST the same day. The opposition will be a volatile and exaggerated outward burst of energy (fire and air, one amplifies the other). It is not a good combination for air travel, which I would be cautious about, but inclement weather may be more hazardous than usual. It is also a feisty energy from within us that will desire expression and freedom of movement.
Jupiter recently re-entering Aries yesterday (December 20th) is in Mars’ sign. The moon while in Sagittarius has that supportive energy by the trine aspect. Jupiter is squaring the Sun’s entry in Capricorn, there is a tension between these two powerful energetic forces within us. Jupiter in Aries is expanding our instinctual nature, how we engage our authentic self and our authentic voice. We collectively see pioneering advancements during Jupiter’s transit of Aries. With Saturn in Aquarius, these two planets work together, one as the expansion principal and one as the contracting principal, or in other words, where something is brought into form, concretized, and made real. When Jupiter and Saturn are in sextile by sign (Aries-Aquarius) this is an interesting time for sciences, themes of our future needs as unique individuals in a collective as we evolve. It can be an idea that comes in during this time that is built upon over time but will indeed be part of our evolutionary growth. The person who comes to mind right now is Joseph Campbell. He was born with Sun-Jupiter in Aries with Saturn in Aquarius. A Libra rising, but his work to this day is so incredibly rich for us all to understand ourselves and the archetypes of myth. The Hero of a Thousand Faces book Joseph Campbell authored would be a good one to read or re-read at this time. Jupiter in Aries is cardinal energy, so what is expanded and exaggerated are dynamic, which happens suddenly.
Neptune in Pisces at 22 degrees is still within wide conjunction with Jupiter but from another sign. The two planets will decrease in their fusion of energy as Jupiter moves forward in Aries. Imagination is still rich with potential for adventurous stories and landscapes that delight our free spirits. Active with our inner planes of awareness, we can all benefit from exploring our dreams and the images that our psyche present for us to contemplate. Oracles can bring our focus to a few themes at a time to experience and to integrate with new perspectives on themes of our growth we may have wrestled with for some time. Be open to see what emerges for you.
The Winter Solstice is a time to reflect every year, but this year the invitation goes deeper and has a bundle of energies that are wild cards that may provide us feedback into additional areas we may have yet considered about who we are and our becoming. We are on a path to individuate, and while incarnate we have the yin-yang symbol to remind us of a foundational principle of ourselves. Take up a pen, take notes, and your heart will guide you. Have a blessed solstice! Namaste. Bless this moment.
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