INCOMING WAVE
“We’re all here because we’re not all there,” reads a bumper sticker I’ve seen around. We are through the well-publicized December 21 Solstice. More than ever I am feeling the Solstice as the New Year. We’re still here and head on into the New Year and the New Cosmic Era. We have been swept through a major cyclical gateway by a huge influx of energy from the Galactic Center and carried along the starry river of the Milky Way. How are you feeling?
Like an eclipse, the repercussions of this major cosmic turning point will reverberate through this year and onward. Various potent astrological patterns will indicate moments of obvious manifestation, as will solar flare outbursts. The main astrological pattern to watch is the ongoing URANUS-PLUTO SQUARE, which has seven exact power points stretching from 2012 into 2015.
WELCOME TO 2013!
This year continutes to be as much about our inner worlds as what is going on around us. As the New Year opens, we find bright Jupiter shining its benevolence in the night sky. Venus continues to herald the day before dawn in the East. Yet, invisibly, the cosmic clock has ticked on and a great new era has dawned.
With an eye to best possibilities, I take a good look at the 90-degree square relationships between planets that drive the main action. Squares are what’s “happening.” A square like this between two of the slow-orbiting outer planets is rare and especially world altering. In 2013 these planets are exactly square on May 20 and on November 1, two power point days. Interestingly, on both of those dates, the Moon will be in Libra, weaving an extra dose of revolutionary innovation into our daily lives. We will clearly feel the impact of the global shift in progress. I will alert you to more such dates throughout the year. Every time a faster-moving planet clicks in to the Uranus-Pluto Square, we can expect to see demonstrations of the momentum of change.
The SUN is in CAPRICORN
to open the New Year. Capricorn’s creativity is often underrated. It is a cardinal sign (the others are Aries, Libra and Cancer) that steps forth with a fresh approach. Capricorn looks for practical solutions and uses whatever means are at hand to accomplish the purpose. It’s underlying motivation is for long-term success, building brick by brick. Capricorn is the Sea Goat that comes up from the waters to scale the mountain step by step.
PLUTO in CAPRICORN
has been conjunct the New Year’s Sun for several years now and is especially close at the opening of 2013. Therefore this planet colors the year. Pluto is named for the dread god who rules the underworld, the realm of death, yet also rebirth. Pluto necessitates transformation, plunging us into a void that can feel empty and lifeless. Like planting a seed in the dirt, if we allow the process to unfold, new growth emerges from beneath the ground, a natural process. Psychologically this can be difficult, as we are pulled into deep layers of our unconscious. Buried memories and feelings may erupt unexpectedly in volcanic surges. During such a “dark night of the soul,” we may not believe we will ever see the light again. But we do. Sometimes Pluto confronts us with Big Questions in small ways, via the mundane details of our lives.
One of my favorites mythic images of Capricorn in the old Sumerian god named Enki. He brought the goddess Inanna (Sumerian Venus) back from death by creating two little critters from the clay under his fingernails. He must have been in the middle of sculpting mountains. These tiny creatures buzzed unseen down to the underworld where the Plutonian dark goddess was having an emotional tantrum brought on by grief. In a rage, she had hung her sister Inanna on a meat hook to rot. The creatures moaned and groaned and cried with her, soothing her temper. Thankful, she allowed them to take Inanna back to the world of light. I tell this story both to illustrate the pragmatic, creative capacity of Capricorn and as a mythic story line relevant to our times. Pluto pulls us into our emotional depths in order to release and even heal pent-up energies that create havoc if not attended to. This is a collective as well as a personal process. We saw an example of this in the recent Sandy Hook tragedy.
With its long, 248-year orbit around the Sun, Pluto describes a collective process that takes place over time and takes many shapes. Another recent manifestation is the so-called “fiscal cliff.” Inevitably during Pluto’s passage through Capricorn (into 2024) old economic and political systems are failing and starkly exposed as increasingly dysfunctional for more and more people. Eventually artificial political and national boundaries return to more natural, geographic ones. Local communities develop their own effective solutions. We are living in The Lord of the Rings movies. The many kingdoms of Nature participate in overthrowing the destroyers.
Pluto shows where we claim our power or give it away. We each have more power than we know. We start to experience this as we open to wider consciousness and turn on more brain cells. Deep wells of inner knowledge are awakened from the untapped potentials within ourselves. In this way, Pluto is a redeemer. How are you taking charge of your life? Or are feeling a victim of circumstance?
Taking a look at the cosmic flow for January, we find that fast-moving Venus and Mercury both enter Capricorn this month, clicking right in with the Uranus-Pluto Square. Don’t for a moment expect a dull January!
MERCURY entered CAPRICORN
on New Year’s Eve, most vigorously square Uranus and conjunct Pluto on January 3-6. Watch the news this first week of the year for signals of global change and, more importantly, reset your thinking cap along with the reset of the Mayan calendar. What do you intend for the post-2012 era? How are you thinking about your life? Be aware of negative tendencies of the mind and dig them out like weeds.
We have a choice react to a critical piece of news with anxiety and think the worst, or with curiosity and wonder, “What is this about? How shall I think about this?” Capricorn likes to plan and to be in control. As old constructs become inadequate in the face of the current situation, old ways won’t work. We lose a sense of control. We may feel uncomfortable, insecure, out of our depth. We need a new plan. We can look for creative, practical solutions. Capricorn is an Earth sign, very much about pragmatic results. If the plan needs to change, let’s find another way. It’s no use to argue.
VENUS enters CAPRICORN, January 9,
Seeking harmony and value in our solutions, Venus follows in Mercury’s footsteps by squaring Uranus on January 13 and conjuncting Pluto on the 17th. These days in January feature women of power, empower women and give rise to revolutionary strategies and alliances to improve local economies and social networks. In addition to Mercury’s quest for workable ideas, Venus engages the question of value: “How is this feeling? Am I enjoying what I am doing? Will I be satisfied with the results? Will this add value to my life?” As the money planet, Venus in this Earth sign looks for worth. Nature lovers and earth artists will be hard at work and play. The rage for personal gardens grows exponentially.
NEW MOON at 22 CAPRICORN, January 11 (1:45pm CST)
With such a line-up in organizational Capricorn— Sun, Moon and three planets—this Moon cycle has the potential to introduce and proliferate extraordinary, progressive solutions, as in “How did you come up with that!?” With Mercury very close to the New Moon, remember what I said above about being curious and open to options. As Alice in Wonderland said, life gets “curiouser and curiouser.” The Earth itself demonstrates and contributes to the unfolding of our new path, as witnessed in glorious sunsets, majestic storms, magical animal encounters and special stardust-in-your-eye moments.
VENUS in CAPRICORN
inserts a qualitative energy into the Uranus-Pluto Square. We can expect some innovative plan for economic restructuring within the week. Please do take this personally by rearranging your personal fiscal structures for enhanced quality of experience. For instance, many of us tend to reward ourselves by spending, which can get us into credit card trouble. Other strategies may be more truly rewarding. This may mean seeking new ways to spend our time rather than our money, finding unexplored resources in unexpected places. Can you reinvent your lifestyle and have more fun?
With JUPITER in GEMINI exact square to CHIRON in PISCES,
the element of serendipity will often surprise and delight us, even as our hold on “reality” as we once knew it melts down in an altered flow of time and space. Don’t worry about losing your memory in the aging process; memory is fluid and elusive for everyone. Maybe it is best we forget a lot of things so that those memories don’t continue to define our experience and self-identities. Be especially kind to yourself and others. We’re all in a bit of a chaotic state.
NEPTUNE, also in PISCES, has a wave-like sensation.
Quantum physics has shown that light can be either particle or wave. This new 14-year cycle of Neptune is light waves. Subtle energy becomes more obvious to our perception, as concrete reality eases it hold and opens new space-time possibilities. New healing methods involve sound and vibration. Give yourself a gift and try a new holistic modality. This is an optimum month for healing breakthroughs using alternative methodologies.The ongoing square between Jupiter and Chiron-Neptune continues through April. Down the rabbit hole, anyone?
MARS in AQUARIUS square SATURN in SCORPIO
is the other interesting and active pattern of this New Moon, one that was exact on January 7. Saturn in Scorpio, an intense placement lasting more than two years, works with Pluto to transform deep-seated issues. Mars in Aquarius operates distinctly differently. observing from a more detached perspective. Though we can’t always understand, as fully as Aquarius would like, the deep urges and compelling motivations of Scorpio, Mars may step back for a broader view before taking action. This planetary combination may offer some self-understanding or, on the darker side, blind disregard for the feelings of others in a kind of knee-jerk reactivity. Let’s go for self-awareness. This square is available only this month. Take advantage.
SUN and MERCURY into AQUARIUS, January 19
More Aquarius energy offers more breathing room—and I mean that literally, especially as Mars remains in this Air sign all month. Take many deep breaths every day as a conscious practice! Air is the element of thinking, of mentality. It is the most objective sign. “From a Distance,” the 1985 Julie Gold song made famous by Bette Midler (hear her at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDSh5wUtXt4) is a good Aquarian theme song:
FROM A DISTANCE
There is harmony
And it echoes through the land
It’s the voice of hope
It’s the voice of peace
It’s the voice of every man
From a distance
We all have enough
And no one is in need
And there are no guns, no bombs and no disease
No hungry mouths to feed
From a Distance
We are instruments
Marching in a common band
Playing songs of hope
Playing songs of peace
They are the songs of every man
….
God is watching us
From a distance
With Mercury conjunct the Sun, another such collective song or message of universal brother/sisterhood may emerge.
FULL MOON in LEO-AQUARIUS, January 26 (10:38pm CST)
I’ve been writing in this issue about the 90-degree square aspect between planets. This Full Moon features a big one between the Aquarian Sun (with Mercury), the Full Leo Moon, and Saturn in Scorpio. We really need to take to heart such messages as the song above conveys—sing them, write them, and turn them into reality. Saturn brings a test. What can we do with the energy of this Full Moon? An immense impact can be made with waves of love expressed from the heart. Let more and more of us experience this more often. This Full Moon is an opportune, even magic moment to join together with others to create meaningful manifestations. It can be a turning point within our circles, groups and communities if we allow it to be. Scorpio is the sign of fusion. As we come together and share resources on many levels, our impact is greater.
LEO is the creative expression of the individual. Aquarius is the group context. What is your role in your group or community? Saturn’s placement suggests that some associations are coming to an end, some organizations disbanding or reforming. It is time for the next level of engagement, to find a social milieu in which we can be more creative, to feel more in synch with our peers or with our wider community.
This Full Moon is channeling a lot of energy, which we feel in our hearts. As our hearts open, boundaries, defensiveness and judgments dissolve. Reality shifts with a big smile. “Come on, people, smile on your brother. Everybody get together, try to love one another right now.” The Youngbloods sang another good set of Aquarian lyrics. For another tuned-in musical interlude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4fWN6VvgKQ
The Leo Moon wants to have fun. Aquarius has a large scope, socially relevant. Saturn is serious, gets us down to meaningful business. This Full Moon is in harmonious alignment Uranus in Aries and Jupiter in Gemini. Uranus moves forward the consciousness revolution. Jupiter adds plenty of communication, interaction, information sharing, education and creative multi-media edutainment. There’s likely to be some big buzz on the internet. There could be a global web happening, live streamed from everywhere. Perhaps large-scale ET contact. Anything IS possible. If you can wrap your mind into that, you’ve got the message of the Age of Aquarius and can fast-forward to the next New Moon. I’m teasing, but it might feel like that the way time is running around the clock.
I’ll write again next month! We’ll see where we are at by then.
