Winter Solstice
21st Dec 23:39 UT/GMT in UK
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Winter Solstice finds Mercury in Sagittarius conjunct the Sun with a large ‘stellium’ of planets in Capricorn – Pallas Athene, Moon’s North Node, Pluto and Mars. All this, with a Total Lunar Eclipse earlier that morning at 08:13 UT/GMT and the Full Moon forming a Grand Cross for several hours, will make for a highly intense and focussed Solstice.
A Lunar Eclipse Grand Cross
Lunar Eclipse maximum at 08:13 UT/GMT
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The Grand Cross is formed by the South Node Lunar Eclipse in opposition to Mercury, Sun, Pallas Athene, Moon’s North Node and Pluto; on the other axis, Juno is in opposition to the Jupiter – Uranus conjunction. The Grand Cross lasts from around 18:00 UT/GMT on 20th December, until around midday on 21st
The South Node Lunar Eclipse means that this is about letting go of our past mental (Moon in Gemini) and emotional attachments (S. Node is in Cancer), so that we can being to review the details of how we are going to move forward (Retrograde Mercury & Sun in Sagittarius), and then put them into action with clarity, purpose and resolve (Pallas, N. Node & Pluto in Capricorn). Holding the balance in all this is the opposition from Juno to Jupiter and Uranus; we cannot put the plans for our new vision into action until we have healed and moved into Right Relationship with our past. This is an essential part of the major healing process that was triggered last February by the Chiron – Neptune conjunction, and will be on-going until 2012 and beyond.
The Solstice
By the time that the Solstice occurs (23:39 UT), the Grand Cross will have disappeared, but the recently eclipsed Moon will continue with the process of emotional release of our old patterns, comfort zones and deeply held emotional attachments that are no longer serving our best interests. The more we can let go, the more profound will be the rebirth, after the Winter Solstice.
The ‘stellium’ of planets with the Sun are bringing the combination of the rational and intuitive mind, combining with the personal and spiritual will in order to focus on our spiritual purpose, so that we may clearly, pragmatically and uncompromisingly see our way forward, and act on it.
For 5 days around the Solstice, the (normally retrograde) Moon’s Nodes are ‘stationary’, so that everything will be held ‘poised in the balance’, before it can move again. Now is our last chance to go deeply into the stillness of our inner being and see how we may let go of those attitudes and habits that have been preventing us from moving forwards and fulfilling our spiritual purpose. When we do let go, then we will return fully to an appreciation of what it means to be in Right Relationship (Juno) with self and others, to fulfil our spiritual vision (Jupiter – Uranus) and to understand how to heal our past (Neptune – Chiron), as we move into a more loving, caring and nurturing relationship with our Mother Earth (Ceres). In our quest for being in Right Relationship and finding our vision, we cannot afford to exclude being in Right Relationship with the Earth; this is not just about treating the ‘Environment’ with more care and respect, it is about truly honouring the Earth as our Mother, who sustains and nourishes us at all levels of our Being.
