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Winter solstice occurs when the sun reaches zero degrees Capricorn every year . As the beginning of the sun's annual transit through the tenth sign of the zodiac, Capricorn, it also is the beginning of "Capricorn season".
This year, Capricorn season is a big deal. With a planetary traffic jam already in the sign, the south node of the moon which is the point of karmic past and release, a new moon eclipse in Capricorn coming on the 25th in just four days, and then the big finale of the full moon eclipse on January 10th with Uranus in Taurus stationing direct the same day and the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn just two days later on the 12th, we have quite the month ahead.
Astrologically, winter solstice is the moment of each year that the sun passes over zero degrees Capricorn in the zodiac. In the northern hemisphere, that translates to the shortest day of the year and therefore when the nighttime is at its longest, and the darkness overpowers the light. It sounds ominous described in that way, but as the saying goes, "it is darkest just before the dawn" and the longest night of the year is also when we begin to welcome the light back, because now our days begin to get longer again. Just like the dark moon (the three days preceding a new moon) is the deepest part of the lunar cycle and therefore has the potential to be the most healing, restorative, and regenerative, winter solstice is the deepest part of the annual solar cycle.
The winter solstice is when we reflect upon what gifts, insight, and healing we have received over the past six months as the light waned and the darkness grew, and then welcome the return of the light, because we will be cultivating the light and growing our intentions with it over the next six months.
Winter solstice marks the annual rebirth of the sun, of the light.
Astrology refers to the sun and moon as the two luminaries, with the sun being the source of light and the moon a reflector of the light generated by the sun. Because the moon as a luminary is dependent on the light of the sun, it is important to think of the sun and moon in terms of their relationship to each other, constantly interfacing. The sun, being its own source of light, is referred to as the light of consciousness, and the moon then represents the subconscious, only illuminated when reflecting the light of the sun -when we shine the light of consciousness on it. The sun is the source - it is consciousness, vitality, and life. The sun rising begins our day, the sun setting ends it. The longer warm days of summer provide our food. The absence of that light and warmth in the winter takes away that same food supply. Winter solstice is the day the light begins to return.
Winter solstice marks a major shift every year from a cycle of harvest, completion, waning, release, introspection, rest, and regeneration, and because it marks the rebirth of the sun and return of the light and the beginning of the waxing, growing, creating, and building phase of the solar cycle. Because of this, it is a perfect time to reflect on the past year (specifically the past six months since summer solstice), acknowledge how we have grown and what we have learned, release what is no longer necessary or relevant to our path forward, and set intentions for the coming six months (until summer solstice) and year.
From now until summer solstice, the light grows and we work with it to cultivate that which we wish to create.
Winter solstice also kicks off Capricorn season. Capricorn is the tenth sign of the zodiac and ruled by Saturn. Capricorn is a sign of building and achievement. It is a sign of work, responsibility, and discipline. Capricorn wants integrity, foundation, and structure. Representing the father archetype and patriarchy, Capricorn is about authority, boundaries, and the need for containers, systems, rules, and laws that hold and protect what we create and build in this world.
At this particular solstice, we have more a intense than usual focus on Capricorn. This month we have a lot of action in the sign that is resulting in an unusually high dose of this energy concentrated in a fairly short time span. Because it is earth vibe that tends toward the serious side, it might feel restrictive and a bit gridlocked. Over the next month we will have a constant planetary traffic jam in Capricorn, but in addition to that we have some really big astrological events taking place there as well. This year Capricorn season is also eclipse season. Our next new moon on December 25th is not only the kickoff of the Capricorn lunar cycle and working in tandem with winter solstice, it is a partial solar eclipse at four degrees Capricorn, and it is getting help from Jupiter and also in friendly aspect to Uranus in Taurus. Jupiter is expansion, luck, abundance, faith, hope, and optimism. Uranus is sudden insight, sudden upheaval, shocking news, disruption, innovation, the future, and thinking outside the box. So with the new moon eclipse we begin something new both in the framework of this lunar cycle, but also in terms of the annual solar cycle. With an eclipse we are beginning an 18 month cycle. And we are about to begin a new decade too. Then just two weeks later, following that new moon eclipse in Capricorn, is a full moon eclipse in Capricorn's opposite sign of Cancer, at 20 degrees. Where Capricorn represents the father and patriarchy, Cancer represents the mother and the divine feminine. This axis of the zodiac is about balancing what Cancer represents - emotions, intuition, inner world, tribe, connection, family, rest, safety, home, nurturing, past, ancestors - and what Capricorn represents - business, rules, systems, making it in the world, wisdom, making a living, supporting the family, providing, structure, foundation, practicalities, goals, achievement, action steps, showing up. In July we also had eclipses on the Cancer/Capricorn axis. This is the next round of that. At that time however, the focus was a bit different, as Saturn and Pluto were both in retrograde and Saturn was traveling with the south node of the moon. We were having to face our past, clean things up, and tie up loose ends. The north and south node of the moon are an axis of their own and they are points in space in astrology based on calculations. The north node represents increase, growth, creation, future, and destiny. The south node represents decrease, release, karma, the past, and fate. Typically the north node will be where our soul growth is, and the south node will be a comfort zone we need to not hide out in. We have already mastered our south node, so we have the tools we have learned their to use as we forge our way forward following our north node. We always want to be moving away from the south node - hanging out in the south node too long tends to bring louder and louder messages from the universe and even events that will force us out if we do not go willingly. So Saturn, ruler of Capricorn and Lord of Karma, was traveling with the south node of the moon all summer and during those July eclipses. Now Saturn and Pluto are in forward motion again moving towards their fast approaching conjunction in Capricorn on January 12th, and Saturn has finally separated and gotten away from the south node. The full moon eclipse on January 10th at 20 degrees Cancer features the sun in Capricorn sitting with Mercury, asteroid Ceres, Saturn, and Pluto completely illuminating the Cancer moon. The same day Uranus is turning direct from its first retrograde in the beginning degrees of Taurus, as it is just getting started on its seven year transit of that sign. Uranus is change through sudden upheaval, insight, or shocking news. The changes Uranus bring come to us through things that are disruptive or unexpected. Uranus also favors things that move us forward into the future and are innovative and outside the box in some way. When Uranus stations direct, it will happen to be in supportive aspect to asteroid Pholus at the beginning degrees of....Capricorn! Pholus is the centaur who guarded the wine of Dionysus for three generations before one day it got uncorked and all hell broke loose. In astrology Pholus speaks to things that go for three generations, and things coming undone or uncorked or the cat getting out of the bag so to speak and the resulting chaos of whatever that upset is. A full moon eclipse is intense on its own, but now we are talking about that on the Cancer/Capricorn axis, with the nodes of destiny and fate involved, happening at the same time as change god Uranus stations direct in aspect to Pholus in Capricorn. And just two days later is the Saturn-Pluto conjunction at 23 degrees Capricorn. The last time these two met was in the early '80's, so that is one cycle. The last time they met in Capricorn was 1518. That is a much bigger one. But in any event, Saturn is authority and the patriarchy and financial and political systems and the way things are done. Pluto represents power, but also transformation - but Pluto's transformation is complete destruction and then being born again from those ashes. Something is coming uncorked in mid-January, and it is going to move us into a new future in a big way. And we are in our final approach to that new beginning now and the energies are going to be very Capricorn-oriented. The next month is going to require some Capricorn know-how. To better understand how to work successfully with with Capricorn energy, we can look to its ruler Saturn. Saturn is the god of linear time and the three dimensional world, known as the teacher, the taskmaster and even lord of karma. But Saturn is ultimately a harvest god - the god of reaping what you sow. Saturn is about limits, boundaries, discipline, work, and responsibility. Saturn teaches us how to get things done in this flesh and bone and earth and stone world we are in. It is necessary for us to understand these ways even though sometimes it can feel so heavy and restrictive. Saturn, however, was the god celebrated during Saturnalia, one of the most popular festivals of the Roman people, with role reversals, feasting and merry-making. This brings up an important point to remember about Saturn and Capricorn - although our experience of Saturn energy can feel restrictive, limiting, harsh, rigid, cold, and even at times abusive, ultimately this energy is not about punishment. It is real world cause and effect and consequences - you do the work then reap the rewards and party. If you don't, well, Saturn is a harvest god - if you don't do the work then you have no harvest. Saturn teaches us what it takes to have a successful harvest. Its work but it's in our best interest - we all like to eat and party, yes?
All of that, and this Capricorn season is just getting warmed up!
In just a few days, on December 25th, its a new moon eclipse in Capricorn. Then two weeks later, on January 10th, its the full moon eclipse focusing on Capricorn's opposite sign, Cancer. This is a powerful eclipse and a major light-bringer by itself, but it is being super charged by Uranus, planet of change, disruption, sudden upheaval, shocking news, and out of the blue insight, stationing direct in Taurus that same day in aspect to asteroid Pholus. Then two days later Saturn and Pluto finally come together in Capricorn for the big finale.
At this winter solstice, we arrive to a great precipice.
Capricorn season and the eclipses and other astrological events over the next month are moving us through a threshold into new territory. One door is closing and another is opening. We are leaving the past behind and entering a new world. We are stepping out into the unknown, the future. Times like these are the times when we can move mountains. Now is the time to reflect upon the past and feel out into the future and decide what you wish to experience and what you wish to create. Decide now what you value, know without a doubt what you are for and then commit to it. Build your life around that and that alone. Create the routines, habits, and mind set that forms the container that will hold what you wish to manifest in this world. Commit to showing up to do the work that will cultivate and grow your dreams. Protect your container with your dreams and work you so value with boundaries that are firm and clear. This is Capricorn season - this kind of work is what Capricorn is all about, and Saturn, the teacher, is here to help you. Although the next month might feel heavy and locked up with so much earth energy, there is no point in fighting it. Work with what is and harness this to begin laying foundations for building your dreams. A lot of air energy is coming soon which will breathe new life into everything. For now, we do the groundwork for the beautiful miracles to come. Kasey Ford
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Kasey Ford, Soul-Aligned Love & Life Mentor to Women
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