Today, December 20, as Venus moves into Aquarius, we are caught up in the energy of the winter holidays, Christmas, Chanukah, and the Winter Solstice, followed next week by Kwanza and Eastern Orthodox Christmas celebrations and New Year's, 2012. This year my daughter and I attended the Winter Concert at my granddaughter's school in San Francisco. Instead of pretending the holidays did not exist, the school embraces all the traditions, and honors each. It was so nice to see symbols, signs, and stories about all the spiritual traditions being shared, and not feel that anyone was having to water their religious traditions down to be politically correct. The doorway that we have all been lining up to enter over the past year or so, is ready to open wide, allowing us to begin new adventures, to live out promises and dreams that we have cherished, and to start a new phase of our individual and collective lives.
Aquarian Venus energy promises innovative and yet clearly-defined structure to put the wings on projects, ideas, and plans. There is a time for everything under Heaven, we are assured in the Canticle of Canticles, and yet some of us who have the gifts of imagination, dream, vision, foresight, often feel our plans just never seem ripe to come to fruition. The timing may not have been right, or the something was lacking (time, energy, resources) for a dream to come to life. This next 6 months or so, however, is a time akin to the first steps of the Hero's Journey...the time after an idea has been born, plans have been made, and intentions have been set. Rather than getting caught up in distractions of meeting unnecessary expectations or
worry over what you can or cannot do, be, or become, spend some time reflecting, slowing down, taking time for prayer and meditation, and open your heart, mind, and whole being to hear the next best steps for you.
Pay attention to your body's energy levels, and honor what your appetite, levels of rest and exhaustion require of you. At a time when the level of energy is so high and intense, breathe in the calm of your Divine nature, align yourself with Spirit, and allow yourself to be the servant of that which is truly honorable, loving, kind, and necessary. When you think of a gift you could give someone special, think of that which they need most. Listen for people to tell you what they need and who they are. Listen with your heart and intuitive senses as much as with your hearing. For one person, it may be the gift of time and lack of stress. It may be honoring another's wishes over your own, or it may be giving someone the full attention they seldom get. Venus, the symbolic and archetypal energy of the feminine, the open-hearted, sensitive, receptive, intuitive, insightful, and pragmatic care taker, calls on all of us to develop our capacity for caring for others and ourselves.
On the Winter Solstice (occurs 9:30 PM, December 21 PST/12:30 AM EST December 22), The Sun will be in its last degree of Sagittarius (fire energy), and the Moon, in Scorpio. Lunar sextiles to Mars (the energizer bunny of the planets) now transiting Virgo, provides a balance of energy requiring focused determination and emotional commitment to energize your journey and plans. By 9:30 PM, the Sun moves into Capricorn, for her entry into the heart of winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, this signals the start of winter; in the Southern Hemisphere, this signals the start of summer (Summer Solstice, longest day). Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign, and the Sun's entry into Capricorn prepares us for a meet up with the transforming energy of Pluto which is slowly moving through Capricorn (6 degrees). The Moon's recent passage over the North Node (gateway), indicates that whatever plans, dreams, or visions you now seek to fulfill, have already been made. Within the next month, the news will come to you about whatever you have set into motion prior to the Winter Solstice time. The energy of the movement from season to season, year to year, and age to age, happens gradually and continuously, though we often are unaware of what we have set into motion. The more intentional and focused you can be right now, the more likely you will be setting sail on a trip that truly is what your soul desire is. When we fail to reflect, sit in prayer and meditation and listen to how the Divine communicates, guides, and directs us, we struggle more with the challenges we face. Learning to let go, and allowing ourselves to look at what our lives reflect about who we are, what we need, and how the Divine is calling us to be, allows us to move in the flow of life....flow with the river, not against it now.
Access your bounty. Breathe in the air that enlivens you. Be thankful for all the abundance you have...family, friends, resources, necessities, energy, health, ideas, and love. At this time, the secrets of our hearts are awakening. Take a leap into faith right now. Let go of your worries, with a child-like trust that "all is well."
Allow yourself the possibility of telling your story differently...create a happier, more fulfilling story for yourself. Do something for someone who needs help. Support those who lack love, care, or resources, and make your gifts acknowledge the gift you recognize in them.
As you move from the preparation stage to the movement at the gateway to the celebration, wrap up whatever has been left undone. Put the finishing touches on what can be set free, set aside, or handed off to someone who really needs what you no longer do. Release, bless your enemies, pray for your friends, embrace your family, and sit in quiet gratitude for the blessings of your life. When we prepare for a new journey, we must make sure we aren't dragging a number of outdated, worn out ideas, beliefs, or connections with us. Take the lessons you have learned over the last year or so, and honor the changes that have taken place within you and within your life. Remembering and hanging on are two different experiences. Honoring and cherishing memories builds you up; hanging on pulls you down and keeps you from moving forward freely. Enter into your new commitments recognizing where you need help from others. Temper the way you make choices and avoid unnecessary risk-taking.
On the Winter Solstice, find peaceful ways to align with the rhythms of life, and cross the threshold peacefully as we spend the last few days before Christmas preparing our hearts to receive Love and to recognize the blessings we already possess. On Christmas Day, Jupiter turns direct, releasing the archetypal energy of Abundance and Joy. Fulfillment requires intentional awareness toward what is. How precious our gift of life, and how wonderful when we recognize, cherish, and honor that gift in ourselves and in others. Regardless of jolts, upsets, or falling apart of plans (Uranus and Mars can sometimes aspect the Moon or other planets and create little pockets of chaos in the day), be in constant readiness to release expectations and release the time urgency or expectations that cause us to struggle when we don't need to.
On the New Moon that falls on Christmas, I will write another article. For the Winter Solstice, enter the seasonal change with an open heart and a spirit of adventure and gratitude for the new path ahead.
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