Winter Solstice 2017

El Capitan – Winter beauty in Yosemite.

Bright Solstice Greetings to All!

2017 Winter Solstice (Summer in the Southern Hemisphere) arrives on December 21 at 16:28 Universal Time, 11:28a Eastern Time and 8:28a Pacific Time.

For more information on the Solstice including why it falls on different dates visit TimeandDate.The Farmer’s Almanac always has fun Solstice info and EarthSky has an interesting explanation of why some places have a longer Solstice day than others.

In the midst of these fast changing and chaotic times the Winter Solstice arriving as it has since the dawn of time is reassuring. The Earth still spins around the Sun as it always has and this Solstice marks the return of the light as the days gradually begin to lengthen – at least we can count on this if nothing else! This Solstice is when the Sun enters Capricorn and marks the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest in the Southern –  the moment when the wheel of the seasons turns.

The chart for the exact moment of the Solstice gives insight into patterns and trends emerging for this new season

Solstice Chart

Winter Solstice 2017 is one of the most powerful is recent memory! As always the Sun is at the first degree of Capricorn and this year Saturn is stationed next to the Sun at this exact degree too. Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn so has more gravitas in this masterful earth sign. The last time Saturn entered Capricorn was in February, 1988 – not vibrating to the powerful Solstice moment, which makes this current conjunction even more important. In fact in the last 1000 years this Saturn/Sun conjunction at the winter Solstice has only happened 3 times, the most recent being in 1664! (Thanks to astrology Mark Lerner for doing the research on this. Read his interesting article A Saturn-Dominated Solstice)

Saturn = Form, Function, Structure and entered Capricorn on 12/19/17. Saturn’s powerful position in the Solstice chart indicates the continuation of major structural reconfiguration in the worldly arena Capricorn rules, which are the bureaucracies of government, corporations, and all forms of top-down institutions including patriarchal ones like the Church down to the traditional ‘father knows best’ family units.

Saturn is the second largest planet which always has a big impact on the world, but the largest planet by far is Jupiter. Jupiter, the planet of Opportunity and  Expansion, is stationed at 15* Scorpio in the Solstice chart. Scorpio is the most powerful sign in the zodiac wheel and the evidence of Jupiter’s Scorpionic force is already apparent. Scorpio rules sexuality and functions to pull up the muck from the bottom of the pond so that it must be recognized. Since Jupiter entered Scorpio on 10/10/17 think of all the powerful men who have been exposed for their inappropriate, abusive sexual behavior – it boggles the mind! Jupiter remains in Scorpio for most of 2018, and his position in the Solstice chart reveals that people continue to feel empowered including having the courage to topple powerful figures at all levels of society.

Mars, the planet of Activation, Motivation and Aggression, is also in Scorpio the sign he co-rules, which doubles up the Scorpio power in the Solstice chart. Mars also represents male energy and a few of the incriminated men are feeling Mars/Scorpio’s power and are beginning to fight back against the accusations against them. Mars is near Jupiter in the Solstice chart which foreshadows Mars’ connection with Jupiter from January 5-9, 2018. This intense conjunction indicates a willingness to confront with dominating force. Will it be a show-down between the US and North Korea or some other tense conflict on the world scene? Author Henry Miller’s birth chart resonates to this Solstice chart with his Sun in Capricorn and Mars conjunct Moon in Scorpio. Here’s a quote of his reflecting his powerful Scorpio perspective: “Everybody says sex is obscene. The only true obscenity is war.”

The Solstice Moon plays into this. The Moon is in Aquarius in the Solstice chart and forms a tight, challenging square to Mars/Scorpio and a looser one to Jupiter/Scorpio. Moon in the Solstice chart represents the public’s mood and is also associated with women. Aquarius is the original rebel who prods society to change and is ruled by Uranus, the planet of chaos and unpredictability. This tense Moon/Mars square indicates that women who have been subjugated and sexually dominated by men in positions of power will continue to expose their abusers and agitate for societal changes both at macro and micro levels to transform this unbalanced dynamic. This square also indicates the public’s willingness to rise above what the “powers that be” tell them, to see the larger truth, while those “powers” continue to obscure and outright lie to further their own ends.

Venus, planet of love and beauty acts as sweet good luck charm who always has our back. In the Solstice chart at 25* Sagittarius she is conjunct the dynamic Galactic Center (GC) which Saturn in Sagittarius has been highlighting most of 2017. Venus wants to remind us to keep reaching for the GC and keep our vibration high and she works well with the Aquarius Moon to help raise up energy making it easier to get to this lofty perspective. Uranus is the structure buster, planet of chaos and change. Uranus is at 24* Aries in the Solstice chart and is in his last season in this dynamic, fiery sign before entering earthy Taurus in May, 2018. Uranus sends a blazing beam to Venus in the Solstice chart making it easier to reach higher vibrations and further ignites societal change  – ready or not!

Milky Way – Galactic Center

Mercury, planet of communication, is retrograde in the Solstice chart at 13* Sagittarius. Mercury also visited the Galactic Center from 11/25 – 30 and lengthened this visit on this retrograde journey through 12/9 and when he moves forward again will return to the GC from 1/7-10, 2018. Mercury converses well with the Moon and Uranus in the Solstice chart helping to spread the message of how important it is for us to keep our vibrations as high as possible. “Keep tuning into the GC to tap into this vast repository of knowledge and wisdom from the multi-universes!”, says Mercury. Good advice for everyone to heed! However, with this retro pattern which affects the upcoming season, will people hear the message?

Meanwhile Neptune in his long-term Pisces journey is at 11* Pisces in the Solstice chart. Neptune is the planet of spirituality on the plus end, and represents confusion and disillusion on the other. In the Solstice chart Neptune creates two important aspects. One is a perplexing square to Mercury which impedes people’s ability to raise up to higher levels of understanding, mainly because many simply don’t believe it’s possible. The other is an ease and flow aspect to both Mars and Jupiter. This beautiful flowing water trine creates virtually the opposite of the Mercury square – it pumps up ability to believe in your own powerful energy flow and helps you to spread more powerful love force to the world!

Chiron is also in Pisces and forms a tight square to Venus/Sagittarius in the Solstice chart. Chiron is the Wounded Healer with shamanic ability to heal old wounds. Chiron acts like a key which turns into other higher dimensions once the wounds are healed. This square emphasizes the delusional end of Pisces and triggers the fanatical side of Sagittarius. This maintains the continuation of religious fundamentalist of all brands to believe their way is the Only Way, while Jihadists refuse to give up their bloody unholy war. (Will humanity ever rise to the level where we can respect all religious beliefs and allow for everyone to freely worship in their own manner? May it be so!)

Last, but never least, Pluto tiny yet mighty planet of transformation, is stationed at 18* Capricorn more than half-way through his lengthy Capricorn journey. Pluto basically stands alone in the Solstice chart in terms of major interaction with the other planets. This potent planet does form a sextile to Jupiter/Scorpio, not a major aspect, but it indicates the potential for even more powerful change. Pluto also forms a loose square to Uranus/Aries repeating the long standing Cardinal Cross the world has been hanging from since 2010.

When Saturn meets up with Pluto in 2 years at the 2019 Winter Solstice major transformation is a done deal! The current Solstice 2017 chart urges us to prepare, and points out the best way to do this – which is to raise up from fear and courageously change long held  beliefs which controlling powers manipulated us to embrace. If you are willing to do this and continue to raise your vibration you help your own life become better and better and also become a role model for others, so they too follow a higher path to the best future possible! Here is another quote from Henry Miller, “The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.” Imagine if you gave attention to the Galactic Center energy streaming in now, what amazing power this would create. It’s a wonderful time to try it out and be a role model of a Galactic human!

IMAGE NOTE: This photo is of the famous El Capitan  in Yosemite national park.  I wish I could attribute it but I’ve had it in my files for years with no photographer listed. I chose the picture because this majestic peak resonates to Capricorn, the earth sign of craggy mountains and rugged authority, and also because of its beautiful winter scene – perfect for the Solstice. I also liked it for this Solstice issue because the bright salmon-red color of the Sun’s reflection on El Capitan’s peak resonates to the the high vibration of the Galactic Center which we can reach if we believe!